


Mua Hala

by Rosefield



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Biological Weapons, Case Fic, Gen, Mystery, Politics, Sick Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-05-18 00:09:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 23,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosefield/pseuds/Rosefield
Summary: Someone is attacking the children of influential member in Hawaii with a biological weapon. No one knows how, or why, and the clock is ticking. What makes it worse? A man named Steve who just can't stay away from trouble.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Welcome to what will be my longest H50 fanfic ever and my first case-fic (with a healthy dose of whump, of course). Please let me know what you think of the prologue, the chapters will get longer, I promise.  
> I don't own anything except my OC's, and Junior Senator Mazie Hirono, while being a real person, is not mine (though her fictitious children are).  
> Tell me what you think!  
> Rose xx

Hi Everyone!  
Welcome to what will be my longest H50 fanfic ever and my first case-fic (with a healthy dose of whump, of course). Please let me know what you think of the prologue, the chapters will get longer, I promise.  
I don't own anything except my OC's, and Junior Senator Mazie Hirono, while being a real person, is not mine (though her fictitious children are).  
Tell me what you think!  
Rose xx

6:45am, Honolulu  
Junior United States Senator Mazie Hirono is woken small hands shaking her. She looks down to see her son Aouli with tears in his eyes. His name means gentle and it matches his nature perfectly.  
"What's wrong honey?" She asks, voice cracking with a yawn.  
"Hani's sick." Mazie is quick to follow her youngest to the bathroom. When she sees her ten-year-old bowing over the toilet, her stomach tightens in sympathy. When she gets closer and sees the blood pouring from his nose, she's quickly yelling for maid.

7:00am, Honolulu  
"Sweetheart can you get Lane up? I'm taking her to school this morning and I have a meeting I'm going to be late for if she doesn't get a move on."  
The affirmative response comes and Senator John Bailey goes back to his coffee. He's reading the latest finance report when a startled cry comes from upstairs. Cup smashing on the ground, he races upstairs, pausing to pull the sidearm he keeps in the hall table out. He bursts into his daughter's room, safety off. He immediately flicks it bac on, rushing over to the bed beside his wife. Because Lane, his beautiful baby girl, not yet seven years old, is white as ash, lips blue and barely breathing.

8:30 am, Honolulu  
Congressman Harold Jenkins is on holiday with his family in Hawaii when his son doesn't come down for the buffet breakfast he'd been eager for every morning. When Jenkins goes to check on the teenager, relatively sure he's just a fourteen-year-old boy sleeping in, he is shocked to find him not just sleeping, but sweating, tossing restlessly in a tangle of sheets. When he feels the burn of a temperature on the back of his hand, he pulls his phone straight out of his pocket, calling 911 even as he shakes the boy he'd once carried in one palm.  
"Declan, wake up!"

9:00am, Five-0 Headquarters  
Steve McGarrett is startled from sleep. There is a sheet from the file he'd been working on the night previous stuck to his face and for a second, he doesn't know what had woken him. But when he checks his phone, sees three missed calls from separate private government numbers and a fourth from the Governor, he realises the day is going to be a long one. Picking up the phone, he returns the latest call to the governor.  
"McGarrett here."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone, welcome back to Mua Hala! Please enjoy and let me know what you think.

"What have we got?" Danny asks around a mouthful of Malasada, chin already streaked with sugar.  
Steve points to the first photo, a preteen boy, native with olive skin. "Hani Hirono. Son of Junior United States Senator Mazie Hirono. The senator found him sick in the early hours of the morning presenting with fever, vomiting and blood noses."  
Danny interrupts. "Not that I'm not sad that her kid's sick and all, what does this have to do with us?"  
Steve points to the next photo, a petite blonde-haired, blue eyes toddler this time. "Lane Bailey, daughter of Senator John Bailey. She was found not long after Hani, but she had depressed respiration and was unconsciousness in addition to the fever. Lastly," he points to the final photo, a grinning brunette teenager. "Declan Jenkins, fourteen-year-old son of Congressman Harold Jenkins. Fever and vomiting. All these cases were within two hours of each other."  
Chin whistles, long and low.  
"Governor give it to us?" Danny's polishing off yet other sugared treat.  
"Ever heard of diabetes Danno?" He ignores the middle finger salute he receives in return. "Anyway, yep, straight from the big boss, but not before a representative for each of the politicians called me directly." Steve watches as the gravity of the situation begins to set in.  
"Ok. I want you guys," he looks as Chin and Kono, "To head down to the hospital. Everybody is at Tripler under maximum security so you'll need your badges to get in and out. Talk to the families, this is about the parents, not the kids, that much is clear. They've all been taken to Tripler to put anyone off, they won't expect them to be in a military compound. Danny, you and I are heading over to all the homes, see what we can find. The families are in protective custody until this is over. Everyone clear?" He'd met with a series of nods and they walk outside into a day much brighter than the situation at hand.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Chin Ho Kelly had seen a lot of cases over his years as an HPD officer and then working with Five-0. The kid cases had never gotten any easier. The first room on the list is that of Hani Hirono.  
Chin knocks gently but allows Kono to be the one to break the ice.  
"Mrs Hirono?" the lady is in her late forties the looks of things, Japanese and wearing the look of a worried parent. She nods at the question. "My name is Kono Kalakaua and I'm from Five-0. We're looking into your son's illness in connection with a few other cases that have popped up this morning. We'd like to ask you some question, if that's okay?"  
"Other cases?" She asks, ignoring Kono's question.  
"Yes Ma'am. Senator Bailey and Congressman Jenkins have, we believe, also both been targeted."  
"By who?" Kono realises she is not talking to the normally composed woman she sees on Tv, but a scared mother.  
"That's what we're trying to figure out. We're trying to get a good idea of what' going on, can you help us with that?"  
Hirono straightens, suddenly powerful. "Of course."  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny's jaw drops as they pull up to the home of Senator John Bailey. The place is easily twice as big as the McGarrett residence, which in itself is not small. The towering double story house is beautiful, made largely of glass with gardens kept by what is obviously a professional.  
"Close your mouth Danno the flies are gonna' get in." Danny glares but closes his jaw with a curt snap.  
"Is this place a crime scene?" he doesn't see anything to indicate so yet.  
"No, technically this isn't a crime yet, they don't have tox reports yet and we can't prove anything is wrong except maybe a batch of bad sushi. That's what we're here for." Steve is crouched by the door, examining the lock. "Looks fine, but we'll get forensics to have a better look later. They should be here in the hour. They're done at Hirono's and are finishing up at the resort Jenkins and his family were staying at."  
"Alright so what are we looking for?" he asks as he pulls a pair of latex gloves over his hands as Steve unlocks the door with a borrowed key.  
"Anything, check the bedrooms the kids were in when they got sick, the bathrooms they used. Chin and Kono's interviews should give us some more specific things to dig into but this is as good'a place as any to start."  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
"Mrs Hirono, have you ever been threatened?"  
The woman manages a watery laugh. "Of-course I have. I'm a senator, I'm female, and I'm Japanese." She turns sombre. "But nothing particularly recent."  
"Good, good. Have you had any controversial policies that have had particularly severe backlash?"  
"Nothing that stands out, and again, nothing recent." Kono hides her disappointment well.  
"Alright, just a few more questions."  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Several hours later, four dejected members of Five-0 slumped round their table.  
"Nothing. All three are pretty well liked, no recent threats or controversies."  
"Same from us," Danny says, loosening his tie. "Houses seemed clean to us, couldn't see any signs of break in and the kid's rooms didn't have anything out of the ordinary."  
"Security footage is being analysed from all the cameras but I'd say it will all come back useless."  
"Boss," asks Kono when Steve pauses. "Is this even a case? Nothing so far says anything is wrong except for a couple of high profile kids getting sick in a short timeframe."  
"For now, that is enough. Until we get confirmation that tells us otherwise, this is an active case. Besides," he adds more quietly. "There's something about this that doesn't sit right. It's on the tip of my tongue but I don't know what it is."  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
They take an hour for lunch and come back ready to work once more.  
"Alright," Chin leads the conversation. "What do we know so far?"  
"All the kids presented with similar and serious symptoms within a relatively short space of one another. All are children of relatively well-liked but powerful members of the community." Danny's the first to break the silence.  
"Why the kids?" Chin asks. "If it was revenge, surely they'd just outright kill them. Could it be about a ransom of some kind?"  
"That's a good point. There is an agenda with something like this, poisoning isn't only torturing the kids but the families too; it's also likely to take a while." Steve concedes.  
"We know all the families have high tech home security as well as bodyguards. They also only send their kids to the best schools. I want to know how anyone managed to get to them."  
Kono nods at Danny, before an idea comes to her. "Why have such high security. I mean, most politicians have some level of security, but nothing as high-tech as these families."  
"Alright." Steve breaks in. "Keep all this in mind. Chin and Danny, I want you two to go talk with Hirono and Bailey's colleagues, see if they know something that we've not been told. Kono, I want you to head out with me. There's something at the Governor's office I want to check out."

As they drive off, Steve picks up the phone for what feels like the hundredth time for the day.  
"McGarrett." The voice on the other end is one he knows well. "Max?"  
"Yes, hello commander. I have some news I thought you'd like to hear, ah, straight away. I was at the hospital for ah, well never mind. Anyway, I was there and I saw Kim, who works there in labs? And I thought I'd talk to her and then I realised she was going to call you and I said I would and- "  
"Max, what is it."  
"Oh, right. The toxicology screens are back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading, next one will be longer and out tomorrow.  
> Let me know what you thought!  
> Rose xx


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi,  
> I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this chapter.  
> Rose xx
> 
> (Some quick notes:
> 
> -my medical knowledge is limited. I research as best I can but as they say, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.
> 
> -my political and American health care system knowledge is very limited. Apologies.
> 
> -while the statistics about obesity in Hawaii are correct, the policy in this is one hundred percent ficticious.
> 
> -this is set around the second season of H50, therefore around 2012.
> 
> I think that covers it. Onwards!)

Fifteen minutes after he gets the call, Steve is at the hospital's lab with Kono. They've stuck with their earlier plan, Danny and Chin off trying to find out more about their victim's business lives.  
"You have the results?" Steve addresses the tall brunette man holding a manila file.  
"Well, we're not really sure. It appears to be an infection, but it's unlike anything we've seen before and thus far, it hasn't been responding to any antibiotics we've tried. The good news is that it is an infection of some kinds, rather than a virus." Kono nods along; both their high school biology teachers had gone through the dangers of viruses and their lack of cures.  
"What sort of timeframe are we looking at?"  
The lab tech addresses Steve. "We're not sure so far. Before I go any further, the CDC have reviewed the tests and we've established it isn't contagious. They progressed very fast initially, going from asymptomatic to severe in the course of twelve hours, but since they got here they've all stayed stable with the exception of Lane who's breathing has worsened. In the hour we transferred her to the ICU and intubated." Steve nods along, not sure what the appropriate response is in the present situation.  
"I'd assume the CDC are still looking into the pathogen for a cure?"  
The tech nodded once more. "They're examining the blood samples as we speak. I can get them to come out here and give you an overview?"  
"No, that's fine for now. We have somewhere else to be but thank you..." Steve trails off, realising that in their haste for information they'd skipped introductions.  
"Mike."  
"Thanks Mike. I'd say we'll see you later but we never really know."  
Hands are shaken and then Steve and Kono make their way out of the building.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"We're here for a Mrs Linton?" The receptionist looks up at Chin from her desk, and Danny can see the corner of a gossip magazine hidden under the papers she'd hastily shovedonto her desk as they approached.

"Names?" Danny doesn't think he can remember a person ever sounding so bored (barring Grace when she spoke about math). Danny pulls out his badge, cutting off Chin before he can answer the question, slapping the wallet open onto the desk.

"Five-O, Detective Williams and my partner Chin Ho Kelly."

The receptionist looks taken aback. "Third floor, I'll send someone to meet you at the elevator."

Danny smiles charmingly. "Thank you."

As they walk away, Chin gives him a questioning look. "I hate cases with kids, man, and every second we waste with people like her is a second those kids have to suffer."

"I get it, but we want everyone here to help us yeah? Scaring them isn't going to help." Danny lets a breath out.

"Yeah, I know."

They ride up the elevator in relative silence, and as the receptionist promised, there is a young man dressed sharply in a navy tailored suit waiting for them. He sticks out a hand, smiling brightly at the two men.

"Benjamin Casely, I'm Mrs Linton's intern." Chin and Danny return his greeting, introducing themselves. "Follow me then, her office is just down here." He gestures down the corridor and then walks away, bouncing with each step.

He leads them to a handsome wooden door, the name Sonia Linton on a brass plate affixed to the front.

"Mrs Linton is aware you're coming, have a great day!" Benjamin leaves with a glowing smile, bouncing back down the corridor he'd come from.

"He's cheery." Danny commented as he knocked.

"Very." Chin's reply is cut off by the door opening. The woman revealed is rounding, easily heading towards the latter end of her fifties, pearl earrings and a matching necklace trapped in the folds of her neck. Her brows are thick and her hair is in a stern bun, but her smile is kind, if with a gold tooth at the front.

"Good afternoon Mrs Linton. I'm Danny Williams and this is my colleague Chin Ho Kelly, may we borrow some of your time?"

"Oh please call me Sonia. I'm so sad to hear what happened to poor Johnny and his sweet girl, so sweet Lane is, always bring me a fresh flower when she comes in, I haven't the heart to tell her they're weeds." She looks sad for a moment before shaking her head. "Anyway, that's not what you're here for, so what can I do for you?"

"Sonia, as you know Senator Bailey's daughter has fallen ill, and we've established it is an attack. What we're trying to establish is whether it is on politicians in general or if it has a more persona not that it's following. So, we'd like to ask if you know of anything that may have sparked anger that the senator was involved in?"

The woman ponders for a moment. "John was so well liked, he did lots of charity work, never really had any controversies. A good family man, John, stayed out of the tabloids, he had a career and a family but they were kept largely separate."

Danny sighs, hoping they'll come away with at least a bread crumb. "Are you sure? No angry phone calls or letters? As his secretary, everything must have had to come through you yes?"

"Yes, but nothing of that nature. Although, now you mention it…" She trails off.

"Yes?"

"There policy a few years ago. John advocated for it. It was for the adjustment of the public health fund, moved funding from some areas to others, made a few people a bit angsty? Oh, what was it called? That's right, it was the…"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"The State of Hawaii Health Service Adjustment January 2011." Steve pulls the thick file out with a triumphant smile. "I knew the names sounded familiar. They were all involved in the changes to the policy at the start of last year." Steve scans the file, nodding along with what is slowly coming back to him. "It moved money around to try and tackle the rising obesity problem on the islands. As of 2008 it was and has continued to be the leading cause of death. It was a success and there has been a slight decrease in diabetes and related death, as well as obesity-induced heart attacks."

"That's great, but why would that lead to any of their kid's being poisoned? This policy looks like a good thing?"

Steve lets out a deep breath, frustrated. There was something about it, some controversy. I just can't for the life of me remember what I was."

Steve's phone rings at that moment and upon seeing it's Danny, he hits accept.

"Danno, what've you got?"

"Something about a health policy."

"Same here. Meet back at The Palace in half an hour."

"Great, see you then."

Kono is already moving to pack up the files, ready to head out. "You hungry boss? I thought we could grab some dinner on the way back?"

"Sounds good Kono, nothing for me, I have a shake in the fridge back waiting for me."

Kono snorts. "Whatever boss, the rest of us will eat real food."

Steve heads towards the car, laughing with her.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The four members of five-o congregate around their table back at the palace, Chin, Kono, and Danny eating an assortment of sandwiches while Steve sucks down the shake he'd pulled out of the fridge. He'd just switched to a new protein powder and it tasted strange today. Then again, protein powder rarely tasted good.

"So, this policy, what exactly was it?" Kono asks.

Danny pipes up. "From what we've learned, it was essentially o tackle the rising obesity crisis. They moved funding from several areas into public education, weight loss measures like publicly available nutrition classes and more affordable gastric surgery, classes in schools, things like that."

"That's all good," Kono says, "But where did the money come from?"

"That's where it gets hazy. It came from a few different sectors; research that wasn't going anywhere, funding for a care unit that got canceled, things like that." Steve reads from the file. "It all looks pretty good."

"There has to be something," Chin argues. "It's virtually the only policy that the three of them all advocated on for the same angle, and Sonia Linton remembers there being some people protesting it outside the office."

"Why would people be against public health funding?" Kono asks, "What's there to lose?"

Steve looks further over the file. For such an important political decision there's very little information publicly available." He sets the folder down. "Alright, do we all agree this is important?" The rest of the team nods and Steve checks his watch. "Alright. It's past nine now so we'll all head home, get some rest and come back fresh in the morning. Danny and I will head to the public records office, hopefully, there'll be more there. I want you," he looks at Kono and Chin, "to head over to Hirono's office, find out if anyone remembers anything about the policy like Mrs Linton did." There's a quiet round of agreement, Danny yawns.

"Alright, clear out." They laugh and pack up their things, heading home to sleep before what will surely be yet another long day. As Steve walks out the door, in the back of his mind a clock is counting down. He doesn't know when it will hit zero, but he knows unless they figure this out, it will hit zero, and then, there will be three children dead and their lives will be on Steve's hands.

Steve tosses and turns in his bed, his stomach churning. He's feeling hot and sweaty despite the relatively cool night. It's when his head begins to pound when he starts to consider the possibility the sushi he'd eaten when he got home had been in the fridge a few too many days. By the time dawn breaks, Steve has spent four hours lying in front of his toilet, retching up everything he'd eaten in the last few years. The alarm rings at five and he hops up. He'll feel better after a swim. Surely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love it? Hate it? Want to know more? Let me know what you think in the comments, follow and favourite! Any theories on what's happening? Chuck it below!  
> Rose xx


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everone,
> 
> Not as long as I'd hoped but it felt like a good place to end. Please enjoy and accept I am not a doctor.
> 
> Me no own.
> 
> Rose xx

Steve didn't admit it often, but he'd been wrong. The swim had not made things better, and by the time he pulled into work, he was feeling a thousand times worse than the previous night. But showing weakness was never part of the McGarrett's arsenal hadn't there were kids and their families relying on 5-0 being in peak condition. Strolling pass their security guard, Teddy, with a small smile in greeting, Steve was glad to see that as usual, he was the first-person in. Settling at his desk, he began going over the files for The State of Hawaii Health Service Adjustment January 2011. The file contained mainly information on the policy itself, the facts and figures behind it and the subsequent cuts to various other public health funds. That was what was niggling at Steve. The cuts to other sectors. Rationally, it was the only part of the policy that someone could be mad about. His thoughts are cut off by a knock at the door. He looks up.

"Morning Kono."

She smiles. "Hey boss, everyone's here and Danny has something. You want to come out here?"

"Yeah, be right out." Steve checks his watch as Kono retreats, surprised to see it's been almost two hours since he got in. Huh. Standing, he wasn't quite sure where the time had gone.

"What've you got?" The rest of the team were around the table, Danny was quick to flick a file onto the projector.

"I got this last night from Mrs. Linton. She said she'd remembered an email for the senator that had come through her around the same time the policy passed. It didn't make much sense and she hadn't thought about it until we saw her yesterday."

The email is only a few lines.

Senator Bailey.

battenhope.com

This is what you've done.

"The link is to a research site for Batten Disease."

"Which is?" Kono asked the question on Steve's lips.

"I had a look last night," Danny replied, clicking the link and showing the site. It's a rare degenerative disease that slowly kills the nervous system. Usually, it starts in kids when they're five to ten and they slowly lose their site and start to have seizures. The expected lifespan is late teens to early twenties. There's nothing they can do yet, nothing that even slows it down." Steve could see the strain on his partner's face and the fact he is thinking of Grace is not a hard leap to make.

"Great. But what has this got to do with anything?"

Danny sighed. "I really have no idea. But I sent the email to each of the offices for Hirono and Jenkins and they both reported having received the same email. Danny hits a few more buttons and two emails flash onto the screen, the same as the first bar the name at the top.

"Well, at the least we know we're on the right track with the health policy. We'll…" feeling a tickle in his throat, Steve turns from the table and lets an explosive series of coughs out. He turned back to see the concerned faces of his team.

"Just a tickle guys, chill." He brushed their concern off. "We'll split up again, me and Chin will head to the hospital and ask about the email. You two," he looks at Danny and Kono, "Head to the records again. I want everything on the health policy and while you're there, anything in the history if the State of Hawaii to do with this Batten Disease, okay?" Everyone nods, and once again, the team departs, hoping for the sake of the children in the hospital that they'd find something soon.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Steve knocked on the door to Declan Jenkin's room. He was met by the haggard face of the usually put together Harold Jenkins.

"Congressman Jenkins, thanks for agreeing to see us." Steve shook the man's hand.

"Harry please, and of course, anything we can do we will, of course."

"We wanted to inquire as to an email you got after the health policy you signed for."

"The one your partner emailed my secretary about last night? Yeah, I got the same one. T freaked me out a little, I looked up that Batten thing and man, it scared me good. What having kids and reading about something like that? Yeah, shook me up. But I never heard anything again. Anyway, it wasn't a threat so we didn't forward it on to security, the email was bogus but we never got anything from the same address again so I guess I just sort of, forgot."

"Alright. And how is your son doing today?"

Sadness lines the Congressman's face. "He's holding his own. His temperature's at 102 but it's been steady since late last night. His breathing's gotten worse though."

"We're doing everything we can to help find whoever did this and you have the best team available here at the hospital analysing whatever this is to find a cure."

The man smiles at Chin, at that moment every bit a father, the politician Steve knows is buried somewhere not showing. Suddenly, Steve feels his stomach turn.

"Well, thanks for your time Harry. Chin, meet me in the car. Just going to hit the head on my way out." He leaves the room and once out of sight increases his pace until he's nearly jogging. Finally skidding into the bathroom, which is mercifully empty, he drops on his knees in the nearest stall. The half of a protein shake he'd managed to choke down made a grisly reappearance. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he stood, confused by the shakiness he felt. This bug, whatever it was, had chosen the worst time to hit. But he was no wimp, so he rinsed his mouth and squared his shoulders, before heading to the car.

"You okay brah?" Chin is nothing if not observant.

"Yeah, yeah. Why?" Casual indifference. It's one of his strong points.

"You look kinda pale, took a while back there. We need you at one hundred percent. So again, you all good?"

Steve shifted the car into gear, watching over his shoulder as he reversed. He forced a laugh that turned his stomach again. "Yeah Chin, all good."  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
"Let me ask Kono, does Steve hate you? Does he hate me? Because it sure seems like it." Danny huffs even as Kono laughs, and they rifle through another pile of boxes. As it turns out, the health policy had been a much bigger deal than even the media had made it out to be there were countless people involved, though the three front-men (or women) had been Jenkins, Hirono, and Bailey. The funding had been massive, and it had come from countless places.

"Oh my god. I've actually got it." Kono stared at the file she was holding, Danny immediately over her shoulder reading along.

"I don't see it."

"This is a list of small research grants that had been promised in 2010 but were cancelled for funding for the health policy. And number ten was a grant to Jacob Bell, for research into life improvement and extension treatments for Batten Disease. It had only just started official work when they announced it's cancellation."

"That's got to be it." Danny pulled out his phone, snapping photos of the file. "What's the research's reference number?"

Kono strung off a string of digits and Danny moved around the shelves, eventually coming to stop in front of the relevant section. He reached for the file. It wasn't there.

"Kono; you said file 6809, right?" within seconds, the youngest member of 5-0 was next to him.

"Yep."

"Well, that's 6808, and there's 6810. There is no 6809."

"You sure?"

Danny gave a cursory glance at the surrounding shelves. "Positive."

"Then I guess it's time we give Jacob Bell a visit."  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Chin and Steve arrived back at The Palace only to be stopped at the entrance way.

"Governor, how may we help you?" Steve tries to hide the surprise at seeing the woman.

"Steve, I got a call from the hospital shortly after you left. They've found some information about the pathogen and it's on your desk."

"Thank you, ma'am, but if you don't mind me asking, how come you were called?"

"The staff also needed to inform you that both the Jenkins's boy and Hirono's have had o be incubated. They're breathing has deteriorated and the staff are saying it looks like if we don't have something to slow this down, they'll be in complete organ failure by the end of the after next."

"Alright, thanks for telling us. Danny and Kono have something and they'll be back soon. I can assure you we're doing everything in our power to find whoever is responsible for this and bring them to justice."

"See that you do, commander."

Steve and Chin made their way up the stairs. "She's in a bad mood," Chin commented.

"Probably the pressure of the politicians." He spied the file waiting on their table. "Let's see what we have here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loved it? Hated it? Let me know. Thanks for reading.
> 
> Rose xx


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone! Longish but important note at the end, please read!

Danny knocked on the door to the small apartment, pulling his badge into view. The man who opened the door is in his early forties, and despite his hair being more salt than pepper, his eyes had a youthful spark.

"How may I help you gentlemen?" he was softly spoken, and Danny felt immediately at ease.

"Jacob Bell?" There's a nod. "I'm Detective Danny Williams from the 5-0 taskforce and this is my partner, Kono Kalakaua." He felt as if the introduction had been made a thousand times in the last day. "We're investigating a serious case of what is shaping up to be biological terrorism and we'd like your help regarding policy made a few years ago."

"Of course, come in." He moves back into the apartment, revealing a well kept if sparsely decorated living room.

"Can I offer you a drink?"

"No, but thank you, we're hoping this will be a quick visit." As Kono spoke, Jacob motioned for them to take a seat.

"Dr. Bell," began Danny, "The research programme you headed that got cancelled, on Batten Disease, can you tell me about it at all?"

"Oh, I didn't think anyone still cared about that." He Smiled sadly. "We were hoping to extend and increase the quality of the lives of those with battens, as well as identify a cause. Horrible, really, what it did to those poor children. Anyway, we really didn't get very far. It was a small grant, to begin with, and I had only just assembled a team when it was cancelled. I hadn't hired anyone yet. It was disappointing, but that is the world of medical research, grants get cancelled and the money reallocated all the time."

"Do you know anyone that would be particularly put out by this?"

"Well, lots of people, really. We campaigned for years for the grant and there may be a small percentage of the population that get battens, but those who do suffer greatly. Losing the grant was hard because funding on the island, especially for something rare like this, is hard to come by. But most people understand, they've been suffering, with little help, for a long time. A little setback is something they've learnt to live with."

"That must be hard. Can you remember anyone that caused any ruckus at the cancellation? Someone who stood out?"

"No, I'm sorry. There wasn't…" He trailed off, eyes glazing for a second.

"Dr Bell?"

"Sorry, just making sure. Nope. No one. Anything else while you're here?" The smile was less casual.

"Are you sure there's no one else you can think of?"

"No, sorry. If you leave a number I'll call if I think of anyone."

Danny pulled da card from his wallet for a coffee shop he no longer frequented, scrawled his name and number across the bottom. "Please, if you can think of anything, call."

They leave, Danny glad to be driving his own car for once.

"Tell me you noticed the slip at the end?"

Danny took his eyes off the road for a second, looked at Kono. "Yep. He definitely remembered something."

"He seemed like a good guy at the beginning, he was genuine and not mad about the grant; why would he hide something that was going to cause more grief for people?"

Danny pulled onto the highway, heading back towards the palace. "I don't know."  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Pathogen of synthetic origins. Once administered, symptoms will begin to display in 4-12 hours. Pathogen latches onto muscle cells and from there multiplies and enters the bloodstream. Believed to have been ingested orally. No evidence to suggest any of the victims have been exposed more than once. Preliminary testing suggests that multiple dosages would lead to more severe symptoms. Cure being manufactured currently from existing antibiotics.

Chin looked up, disappointed. "That's it?"

"Give them some credit Chin, they're working with an unknown."

"That doesn't change the fact they're working with real lives."

"I know Chin, we need to do everything we can from our end to help them."

"Alright, but we don't have much to go off. We have a health policy, emails from a burner address and no lead at all."

"Danny just texted, they're on their way back. They found the found something while they were looking at the archives, said they went and spoke to someone on their way here."

As if it was planned, Danny and Kono chose that moment to walk in.

"Howzit boss? Cuz?" Kono handed out wrapped sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, taking a seat around the table.

"Thanks, Kono. We've got nothing, you?" Steve set the sandwich aside, not wanting to eat it and then throw I up in front of the team.

"We found the files from the policy." Danny tossed a stack of files onto the table as she spoke. "They showed a list of research grants that had been cancelled to provide additional funding for the health policy."

"Let me guess, there was one for Batten Disease?"

Danny nodded affirmatively. "We went and saw the guy who was in charge of it, a Doctor Jacob Bell. He was helpful at first, told us what we asked, but right at the end when we asked if there was anyone he could remember who was mad about the cancellation, he seemed to remember something but wouldn't say so."

Steve put his hand on his chin, deep in thought for a second. "Chances are he knows who it is then. A guy like him though, I'm surprised if you told him someone was hurting people that he didn't give whoever it is up." He paused. "The only reason would be that he's protecting someone." His vision suddenly flickered. "Alright. Take twenty minutes for lunch and come back here. I have something to take care of." Without waiting for a reply, he headed towards where he knew his office door to be, trying to use muscle memory to compensate for the growing grey patches in his vision.

"What's up with Steve?" The three remaining members of 5-0 watched as their boss retreated, stumbling as he crossed the threshold to his office.

Chin looked at the blonde-haired man. "No idea. He's been quiet today, but with a case like this he must be stressed."

"There's something more than that. I can feel it."

Kono placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sure he's fine brah."

None of them quite believe it.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________  
After twenty minutes, Steve was feeling marginally better. He'd managed most of the protein shake he'd found in the fridge and his vision had cleared. As he walked back out towards the rest of the team, he formed a plan of attack.

"Danny," he started, his voice broke the others out of their conversation. "You and I are going to head back to the hospital. On the break I checked, there was another researcher involved with the Batten Grant, Susan Li. We'll talk with her, see what we can find out. Kono, you and Chin stay here. I want everything you can find on Jacob Bell. His family, history, any dirty dealing, everything, you hear?" There were three nods, the cousin's immediately turning to their respective screens. He turned to Danny. "You ready to go?"

"Yep. I'm driving."

For the first time that day, Steve managed a smile. "Sure you are Danno." He pulled the Camaro's keys from his pocket and jingled them in Danny's face. At the outraged look on the blonde's face, he headed towards the door, laughter spilling from his lips.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Location Unknown.

He picked up the phone on its first ring.

"Yes?"

"We need to hurry dose four SJM. They know about the Bell and the grant."

"Consider it done."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Any ideas yet? Let me know in the comments! Hope you liked it, this one was actually a lot of fun to write, though once again, not as long as I would have hoped. I have noticed, much to my dismay, that I have been shifting tense between chapters. I am trying to stick with one and apologise for the issue. At some stage, I will go back and format the story into one consistent tense. 
> 
> On a side note, I made myself giggle as I was writing which is always nice. Not sure if anyone else will appreciate this:
> 
> This was going to be Chin's line, but when I re-read it, I had to change it to Steve's. Oops.
> 
> original- Chin put his hand on his chin, deep in thought for a second
> 
> revised-Steve put his hand on his chin, deep in thought for a second.
> 
> Anyway, until Tuesday,
> 
> Rose xx


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say for this one. Enjoy xx

Driving to the hospital, Steve began to think he should have told someone how he was feeling. Danny's constant yammering was doing nothing to distract him from the cold sweat dripping down his neck and pooling around his collarbone. Reaching for the water bottle he didn't remember leaving in the driver's door, he cracked the cap and chugged the contents.

The traffic was light considering the late hour, and they made good time to the now familiar hospital. Bypassing the secured ICU they'd that had been the scene of most of their visits, they made their way to the fourth floor, home to the hospital's research staff. Knocking on the door, they were greeted by a woman whose nametag revealed her to be the woman they were in search of. Steve pulled out his badge.

"Susan Li?" The woman, short, Japanese and in her late forties, nodded. "My name is Steve, and this is my partner Danny. We're with the 5-0 task-force and we are after some information on a research project you were involved in."

"Of course, come in." Li lead them through to a small, dimly lit room, decked out with machines that likely cost more than Steve's yearly salary. "What can I help you with?"

"We're looking into the illness of a few children of Politian's and we'd like to know about the Batten research Grant that fell through. We're wondering what you can tell us." Pulling a nearby desk chair, Steve sat down, trying to hide the dizzy spell that came across him without drawing too much attention.

"Oh, yes. That was terrible. It took us so long to get ay attention for that cause and then it was just dropped off the priority list." She sighed. "It just killed some of the families. And poor little Jemima, her father was shattered. But, that's the way medical research works. You win some, you lose some."

"I'm sorry," Danny interjected, and Steve hoped he was asking the same question that was o his own mind. "Who was Jemima?"

"Oh, beautiful Jemima. Jemima Johnson. She was eleven when the grant got cancelled. She had been diagnosed at seven and she didn't have long. Her poor father just wanted something to give her some life quality. We were hoping to manufacture a drug that would help with the seizures that was more specific to Battens rather than just run of the mill anti-convulsant meds. That was a big thing for Jemima, she had very severe seizures. She died three weeks ago actually. It was a seizure, actually. They just couldn't stop it. That poor girl. But it was for the best really. She'd been very sick for a long time, I'm glad she didn't have to keep going, she was tired." The woman wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you aren't here to hear my sob story."

"Actually, can you tell us more about Jemima, who was her father?"

"Well, Stephan was a good man, but he was lost in grief. His wife died shortly after Jemima was born in a car accident. She was diagnosed when she was five and a half. Losing her, I'm not sure what he's going to do with himself. Fierce temper."

"Have you seen him recently? Since she died?"

"I was at the funeral, that was two weeks ago. But no, I don't see him socially."

"Do you ever recall him being violent at all?"

"No, he was very gentle, especially with Jemima. But his grief, that scared me sometimes. It was…intense."

Steve had already pulled out his phone. "Thank you very much, Dr Li. You've been very helpful. I'll leave my number here if you remember anything you think is significant give me a call alright?"

"Significant? Like what?"

"Anything Mr Johnson said that made you uncomfortable, anything that didn't feel right. Really, anything of significance. Even if you don't think it's important, if it comes to you, it might well be, so call us."

"I can do that."

Steve tried to give a relaxing smile, stood and was glad when the room stayed where it was meant to. The two members of 5-0 shook hands with the Doctor and headed back to the palace.

"You good?"

Steve flicked his eyes off the road and towards his partner. "Of course I am Danny."

"Woah, man, just askin'. By the way, you free this weekend? I have Gracie and we're planning a trip to the marine park."

"Depends."

"Depends? Depends on what you shmuck? You're always free for Grace."

"It depends on whether we have three dead kids of three alive kids!" Steve slammed his hand on the wheel, breathing hard.

"Calm down Steve. we'll be fine, we're getting closer and come the weekend, those three kids will be at home playing x-box and annoying their parents."

"Yeah. Sorry Danno, just tired."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Steve and Danny strode into the office. "What have the two of you got?"

"Not much. Jacob Bell has no record, was active in his community. Seriously, this guy is clean as a whistle. One daughter who died ten years ago.

"Wait a second." Danny held up a hand. "A daughter, what was her name?"

"Ah, hold on a second." Kono swiped along the interactive table. "Got it. Hannah Bell. Wait, scratch that. She got married about twelve years ago and changed her name to Hannah Johnson."  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________  
It took half an hour for a warrant to search Jonson's house and arrest him. In that time, Steve had coordinated a plan with his team and HPD, called in an update to the governor and the three families and geared up for the raid. Steve strapped on his vest, tightening each strap, holstered three guns on various spaces around his person and prepared to move out. He headed towards the door when the second dizzy spell of the day hit. Stumbling towards the desk, he slumped into the chair, elbows on the hardwood, head in his hands. Deep breaths did nothing to clear his vision and his head had begun to pound. Reaching for the straps on his vest to release some of the pressure that was slowly building in his chest, he could barely find the air to glance up when the door crashed open.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________  
"Steve, what the hell is taking so long?" Danny's voice sounded like it was coming from underwater. "We have three kids dying, we finally have a lead and we've had to wait for an hour because no one's been able o find you. Steve was really beginning to regret not saying anything to Danny earlier because he suddenly couldn't get his mouth to form a response. His office winking out, the small gaps in the black spots being completely enveloped and Danny should probably know that too. Maybe, he thought, he'd tell him after he'd gone to sleep. Maybe then things would make sense. Unable to draw another breath, his eyes closed.

Danny was still yelling at Steve, anger coming from days of tension. He paused for breath, getting ready to begin a new tirade when Steve slumped forward, head slipping off its rest on his hand. Startled, he moved to the desk and reached to shake the SEAL's shoulder. His head lolled sideways, and for the first time in days, Danny took a good look at his friend. Steve's face was paper white; dark circles under his eyes and sweat beading on his brow.

"Chin!" Danny was yelling even as he felt for a pulse at Steve's neck. Terrified, he could feel a rapid yet uneven fluttering at his fingers.

The older man hurried towards his colleagues, Kono close behind having followed the worried shout.

"Help me get him on the floor." Without waiting for an answer, Danny hauled Steve's upper body back, and Chin grabbed his legs. Working in tandem, the two men laid their boss on the floor.

"What happened?" Chin himself felt Steve's pulse, the worry in Danny's eye matched in his own at what he felt.

"No idea. He collapsed. Have you called an ambulance?"

"Done," Kono called.

"Steve, wake up buddy. Come on, wake up." Danny shook Steve's shoulder, wrapped his knuckles across Steve's sternum with no reaction.

"Danny!" The blonde looked up at Chin's panic.

"Pulse is dropping." Seconds later, the once moving chest stilled. Off in the distance, sirens shrilled. But as the conscious members of 5-0 began CPR, it seemed as if it would not come fast enough.


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi,
> 
> Crazy week. Four exams in two days, then my birthday, then another exam and I have my final one tomorrow. I wanted to get this out and I'm hoping the fact it is slightly longer than normal will make up for it being later. Again, please enjoy my rampant use of fake medical knowledge. Very little is based on fact. Please read, review and enjoy!
> 
> Rose xx

Someone was punching Steve in the chest. He wanted to get them off, but he didn't have the air to move a finger let alone attack an assailant. Suddenly, a final hit came and there came a rush of air and memories. Coughing weakly, Steve felt himself being rolled onto his side and heaved breath in and out.

"Lieutenant, can you hear me?" He twitched trying to get his lips to move. "Lieutenant, squeeze my hand if you can hear me." A warm hand slips into his own, covered by what he assumed was a latex glove. Compelling is fingers to move, he weakly squeezed the hand in his, hearing from above a harsh breath and a familiar voice.

"Thank god. Can I yell at him yet?"

"Detective, I'll ask you once more to stand back." It's the same voice as before and Steve was suddenly aware of an oppressive weight on his face. As soon as he became aware of that he realised he was once again being moved. Struggling, he fought to open his eyes, the view above him hazy.

"Hey, leave that alone." The familiar voice was back and even through the blur, he could make out a blonde head.

"D'nn?" His tongue felt thick and dry, the words wouldn't form properly.

"Yeah babe, it's me. Leave that on okay?" There was a calloused hand on his head, smoothing the lines of confusion.

"W'hppen?"

"You were an idiot is what happened. I'm going to kill you later. But you need to rest for now, okay? These guys are going to help you and me, Chin and Kono are going to keep up with the case okay?"

He wanted to protest, but there was a shot of ice through his arm and then nothing.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
"You okay brah?" Danny turned to look at Kono, her brown eyes filled with worry.

"Not really. I just watched our best friend nearly die and now I know the only thing I can do involves not being with him."

Her small hand rested on his shoulder and as the sound of sirens faded in the background, Chin approached.

"We need to get going. HPD is ready to head to Johnson's house and now we don't just have to worry about those kids but Steve too okay?"

Nodding, Danny stood and tightened his vest. It was time to go.

"Stephan Johnson, 5-0 open up!" Danny pounded on the door of the run-down house, Kono and Chin standing back on the nature strip as they'd been unsure if the decking would hold their combined weight. When there was no response, Danny drew back, gathering the anger and worry for their missing leader and kicking out, the door shattering off its hinges. Moving forward, the team entered the house and Danny's free hand immediately went to his mouth at the stench.

"Clear," Danny barked, moving through the kitchen.

"Clear."

"Clear."

"Clear."

The call echoed from various rooms around the house.

"In here." Danny raced towards Kono's voice, stopping short at the door. There was what must have bee the body of a young girl, around Grace's age, and, judging by the smell and condition, she had been dead for around a month. It was, undoubtedly, Jemima Johnson.

"Kanapapiki." Chin's soft voice came behind Danny, uttering what he could only assume was a curse.

"Come on." The three of them moved from the room, leaving the room for CSU when they arrived.

Back in the kitchen, Danny was sorting through stacks of paper on the table alongside Kono, while Chin did the same in a bedroom they'd assumed was Johnson's.

"Guys, I've got something."

Dropping the rent bill he'd been scanning, they hurried towards the call.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Arriving in the doorway, they saw Chin holding up a manila file.

"That missing file, it was coded 6809." Kono nodded, and Chin pointe to the label on the file displaying the same number.

"Let's head back to the hospital. We'll see how Steve is and look over the file there." Agreeing, they once again left, leaving the body of a young girl behind. Danny just hoped it would be the only body he saw that day.

"Steve McGarrett please." Chin forewent the pleasantries; the case had been draining him and with the lives, at stake, he was ready for it to be over.

"Just a second." Clearly used to impatient visitors, the young receptionist met his short demand with a smile, though as her fingers flew across the keyboard it quickly turned to a frown.

"I'm sorry, the only man we've had by that name checked out just under an hour ago.

"He what?" Behind him came Danny's incredulous cry, and Chin was tempted to echo it.

"Yes, I'm sorry, it seems here he left against medical advice shortly after his assessment."

Danny was already stalking towards the doors, keys in hand and murder in his eyes. "If he isn't already dead I'm going to kill him."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"The hell is wrong with you?" Steve startled, looking up as his office door slammed open, and three angry Danny's stormed into his office. Blinking, the three men became one; one very angry man leaning over him. "Have you got a death wish, Steven? Suicidal ideation? Do you actually think you are invincible? Or, are you actually, really, as mind-numbingly stupid as you seem right now?"

"Ah…"

"No, you don't get to talk right now. You had a heart attack, Steven. A heart attack. As in boom-boom-stop. You died. And we had to watch. Then we trust you, we leave you because there's not only three kids dying but you too! And then we get a lead, a lead that might save your life and we come to see how you are, and you're gone!"

"Danny-"

"I'm not done!" Danny is right in his face then, hand feeling over his chest and at his neck measuring his pulse. "How do you feel, are you-"

"Chill brah." Chin and Kono are there too and Steve is pretty sure he should have known that, pretty sure they shouldn't have been able to come in without him noticing. Danny stepped back, but Steve could see the reluctance painted on his face.

"What have you got then?" Steve hated that his voice crackled over the words and his chest ached with them but he needed to know how the case was going.

"Hey, you aren't off the hook McGarrett. I've got patient transport fifteen minutes out and you'll be back in a bed within the hour."

"But the case."

"It will go ahead without you, boss."

"No." Steve pushed his seat back, standing and trying to ignore the wave of heat through his body and the further tightening of his chest. "I need to see that." He pointed to the file. "And then we need to figure out where Johnson is." He moved to grab the file still in Kono's hand but stumbled and it was only Danny and Chin's combined reflexes that stopped him going to ground.

"Steve!" He was gently lowered to the ground, Danny coming up behind him as he slumped bonelessly. "Goddammit, when will you admit that you need help? I don't want my friend to die because he's too stubborn to slow down."

The was a knock at the door, and two men walked in. They were touching Steve all over and worse than the feel of their hands on him was the vulnerability he felt. The escape from the hospital and his team's entrance had taken far more out of him than he had wanted to admit. Much to his chagrin, an oxygen mask was once again slipped over his face. He saw Danny follow him out to the transport vehicle, felt an IV be slipped into the crook of his arm. The doors closed and his friend's hand slipped into his, the squeeze that should have mortified him served instead as comfort, and the exhaustion from the day quickly caught up with him and before he could fight it, sleep took him.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hey, guys." As Kono and Chin slid into the room, Danny stood from his place beside Steve's slumbering form.

"He looks terrible." Danny had to agree with Kono. Steve was pale and gaunt. He'd lost weight in the last few days, not much, but enough for Dann to notice the sharp curves of his body around the thin hospital gown. He had an oxygen mask covering his face, something Dany had thought they would remove but had been deemed necessary when the SEAL's oxygen saturation had dropped dangerously low upon their arrival. His face was beaded with sweat, and he in no way resembled the man he had seemed the day before.

"How the hell did this get so bad without us knowing?" Chin asked what they all wondered.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Several minute later, they were all seated in various positions around the room.

"The file doesn't have much, really. Names of the three politicians, information of the health grant. Really, I think taking it was so we'd be slower making the connection between the grant and the illness."

Before anyone could reply to Chin, a short nurse appeared at the door.

"Mr Williams?"

Danny stood. "Detective."

"My apologies, detective. Dr Bishop, he's the Commander's primary. He'd like to speak with you." She looked around the room, her gaze landing on both Chin and Kono respectively. "Alone."

Danny glared, tired from the long day. "Anything he needs to say is gonna come back to them anyway, so tell Bishop he can save us both time and tell me in here."

Looking taken aback, the nurse nodded and left. Seconds later, a man who looked young enough to be Danny's nephew walked in, but the air of confidence he carried himself with quelled any fear over his qualifications.

"Detective. I'm Dr Bishop, please call me Mark. I'll be the Commander's primary while he's here. I've been looking over the cases of Declan, Hani and Lane and I'm sorry to say this is looking like a more aggressive strain of the same thing."

"More aggressive?" Danny asked, immediately glancing towards the still form on the bed.

"Yes. You remember we advised that it seemed the first victims had only received one dose of the virus?" Danny nodded. "Steve's symptoms indicate he's ingested multiple doses; we initially theorised that multiple dosages would lead to more serious symptoms, such as those we're seeing here. There would be more delayed onset, but once it hit the symptoms would be more severe."

"What can we be doing?"

In a gesture of familiarity, the doctor reached out a hand, resting it on Danny's shoulder.

"Exactly what you've been doing so far. Investigate the case. Trust our doctors and technicians working on a cure, and do everything on your end to help us. I have to continue on my rounds, but I'll see you around later."

Bishop left, leaving the only sound in the room Steve's labouring breaths.

Danny took a second to compose himself. "Alright. Kono, you head back to the house. I want everything CSU has and then I want you to comb every inch of that house. Chin, you stay here. I am not taking any chances of him leaving again. I'm going back to the office. There has to be something we missed." Turning to leave, Danny muttered again, this time to himself. "There has to be."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Night had fallen but Kono knew she was no closer to going home than she had been at nine am that morning. CSU had confirmed everything they'd thought; the body had been Jemima Johnson's, likely smuggled from its coffin by her father ad enshrined in her old bedroom. It had slowly rotted away in the weeks since her death, but according to Max, there was little doubt it was the Batten's that had killed her. Kono sifted through the sty that was the house, finding countless pages of research o the disease that had ailed the family, overdue bills and threatening letters to all the politicians, signed but never sent. Moving towards the back of the house, Kono paused, something drawing her attention to her left. Something on the wall wasn't right. The house wasn't large, but there should have been another room. It was a perfect square, and Johnson's room was too small to take up an entire side of the hall. Leaning in closer towards the wall, she found what she was looking for. Next to a photo of a smiling young girl, a small crack, running from the roof to the ground. Turning side on, Kono hip and shouldered the wall. It gave way and suddenly, she was standing in a room. She gazed around the room, stunned. Without waiting, she pulled out her phone.

"Danny, you need to see this."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Danny paced his office, pouring over the information they had so far. Stephan Johnson was a father grieving over the loss of his daughter she had died in pain due to an incurable disease. Shortly before her death, there had been a research grant, aiming to improve the quality of life for sufferers. Around the same time, Junior Senator Maize Hirono, Senator John Bailey and Governor Harold Jenkins had endorsed a health grant to tackle the rising obesity crisis in Hawaii, a grant that needed money. Some of that money had come from the cancellation of the batten grant. Children on those three government officials had since been poisoned. Five-0 began investigating, upon which their leader had been taken down by the same illness. And Danny felt they were no closer to finding Johnson and a cure than they had been when they started.

Danny was running the day's events over in his head when a detail from Johnson's house jumped at him. The rent bill he'd been looking at when Kono had found Jemima. Johnson owned the house. There was no reason for him to be paying rent. He was reaching for his phone to call the team when it rang. Quickly answering, Kono's voice came through.

"Danny you have to see this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What'd you think? Stay tuned.  
> Rose xx


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is ridiculously short. Tomorrow's update will be a longer chapter and there's also a new oneshot out. It's called Circles and is a tag to 1x20, looking at what might have happened if Steve was the one who got Sarin. I hope you enjoy it. Tomorrow there will be another chapter and a new addition to my series of oneshots, Highs and Lows. So, onward!  
> Rose xx

The clock ticked over to nine o'clock as Danny pulled into the driveway of Johnson's house for the second time that day. Wiping a hand across his haggard face, Danny walked through the open door.

"Kono?" The house had been de-cluttered significantly since his last visit.

"Down the hall Danny."

He turned towards the back of the house and walked through a door he was sure hadn't been there the first time he'd been there. He stopped in his tracks. The room was near bare, aside from the desk in the middle of the room. The walls, however, were a different story. Plastered up were newspaper cut-outs, articles, photos and maps. It was chaos. Worst of all, however, were the four pictures in the middle of the wall opposite the door. The first was Hani Hirono. The second Declan Jenkins, the third Lane Bailey. Finally, circled in red marker, was Steve. The photo was of him from the side, eyes focused on something out of the frame. The bastard had been stalking him.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________  
The two of them combed the room for an hour, finding increasingly angry letters of protest to various government bodies, please to medical boards begging for treatment for his daughter. Had the man not put his best friend in the hospital, Danny may have even felt bad for him. As they reached the last corner of the wall, Danny slumped to the floor.

"Look this shows he's a grieving wack-job, but there isn't anything here."

Kono slid down next to him. "I agree. There's nothing here, there wasn't anything in that stack on the table. We're about as close to finding this guy as we were yesterday."

"The table yesterday! Dammit I can't believe I forgot! There was a letter for rent for an apartment in Johnson's name, I was going to tell you but then I saw this room and I forgot. Dammit. Let's head back to the Palace, we'll get a warrant. Hopefully we'll have this bastard by tonight."  
__________________________________________________________________________________________  
Back at the Palace, Danny paced. It was ten pm, and a warrant wouldn't come until the next morning. The lack of something useful to do was grating on him. The shrill ring of his phone broke his stride.

"Williams."

"Danny, the hospital called. I have bad news."

"Well don't hold your tongue, spit it out." Danny's nerves were on edge.

"Steve's primary has switched him to a ventilator and put him under. His breathing's worse. I'm starting to get worried brah."

Danny began swearing.

"I'm not one Danny. Just a second ago I got another call. Lane Bailey just died."

He didn't wait for the next word. He hung up, slammed the phone onto the desk the stupid, spotless desk that was more organised than any part of the case so far, and left.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny downed his fourth beer of the night, well, it was probably morning, he wasn't quite sure. Lane Bailey was dead. Lane, who had, the last time Danny had seen her, had her hair in two pig-tails, and big brown eyes that were exactly like Grace's.

"Hey 'nother over here." He flicked his hand up lazily as he tried to get the bartender's attention. By the third bottle, he'd felt buzzed, and he knew by this stage he was well on the way to being off his face drunk. The bartender sidled over, a man in his fifties with a kind face.

"Think you're done for the night bud. You got someone I can call?"

Suddenly enraged, Danny raised his eyes to meet the older man's. "I'm n' officer of the law. Show some respect and grab me 'nother dam beer!" The fist he slammed on the table garnered some eyes but the man in front of his just smiled sadly.

"Then I'm sure you know I have a right to refuse service. I'm going to call someone for you."

He hadn't realised, but while he'd been distracted his phone had been swiped from the table.

The bartender held it to his ear but frowned and lowered it.

"The first guy must be out." Baulking, Danny realised he must have used his speed dial. The first was Steve. Sobering slightly at the thought of his friend he tried to help.

"Go third. Second's m' little girl." Any drunken anger was gone and as the bartender placed a comforting hand on his back and hit number three, Danny let the first tear fall. Lane Bailey was dead. Steve was dying. And Danny had a little girl he wasn't sure he could protect anymore.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________  
An hour later Kono stood in front of a slightly more-sober, much more embarrassed Danny.

"Get in the car."

Danny nodded his thanks to the bartender and followed the furious cop to his car, not hesitating to hand her the keys and slide into the passenger seat. They sat in silence for less than a minute.

"What the hell were you thinking Danny? Getting drunk on a case is one thing, but this case, Danny."

She glared at him. "You got anything to say?"

Danny didn't, but he went ahead anyway. "She looked like Gracie Kono."

The rookie's expression softened. "IT's late. You can crash at mine, for now, we'll get a few winks and head back out early okay?" He nodded. "There's a water bottle in the door, try and get some down. See if we can't stave off the hangover."

"Thanks, Kono."

"Anytime Danny." She turned the keys, giving the engine a second to heat up before pulling away from the curve. Danny took the bottle and unscrewed the cap, swilling the last quarter of water around. He had raised it to his mouth when something struck him. It wasn't the right brand. Steve always drank Waiakea. IT was some stupid volcanic water he ordered in bulk through an old friend. The bottle in his hand was Hawaiian Isles. Danny himself got Evian because it was still the cheapest, even on the island. There was no way it would have ended up in the car. Any other day would have ignored it. It was not any other day. Kono, we need to go to the hospital.

"Danny wha-"

Any lingering drunkenness gone, Danny interrupted her. "Now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love it? Hate it? Let me know and the chapter tomorrow will reveal more!


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone,  
> Sorry for the absence, I've had a petty chaotic week. This chapter marks something special, my AO3 account is officially up to date with my ff.net account. that means you will, from now on, be reading things as I write them, rather as cross posting them from my other account. Anyway, I update Tuesdays and Thursday's (usually) and I try to put out a oneshot with my Thursday updates, but that depends on what kind of week I've had. Please enjoy!   
> Rose xx

Chin had nearly found sleep when the door burst open. He instinctively reached for the sidearm he hadn't allowed the staff to take from him, hand pausing when he realised who was at the door.

"Sorry guys. Howzit?" He ran a hand down his face, attempting to remove the remnant of drowsiness that had been steadily setting there for the last few days.

"We think we've got a sample of the toxin." Danny was grinning like a madman, the mars of lost sleep marring his face, a half-empty water bottle held triumphantly in his hand. Standing up, Chin moved closer to him, intent on inspecting the item for himself. He was less than a foot from Danny when he could smell it.

"My god, are you drunk?" Rage quickly fired up in the normally calm man's eyes.

"Cuz, back off. It's alright. We think the bottle was a plant in the Camaro, one of the ways Johnson's been dosing Steve. There's enough left for the lab to get a sample if it's in there. Danny," she shoved the blonde man back towards the door, "was just heading over there."

As Danny took his cue and left, Chin allowed himself to back over to his char, slumping exhaustedly into it.

"That's great news, Kono."

His cousin walked over towards the bed that held their boss, smoothing her hand across his cheek. The usually strong man's face was pale, marred by a five o'clock shadow and ventilator tube hanging down one side of his face. For a second, the only sound in the room was the mechanical hiss of the machine until Kono followed his lead and thudded down into another chair, hand gently gripping Steve's.

"You said they sedated him?"

Chin nodded, glad to have something to talk about. "Yeah, the breathing was bothering him and when they said they needed to intubate he got combative, partly a side effect of the fever the doc said."

Kono nodded. "We're trying to get a warrant for an apartment out the back of Waikiki. Danny found a rent bill for it in Johnson's name. Hoping he's hiding out there, but we won't be able to go down until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

"Good, good." The room once again lapsed into silence and Chin knew he was close to dozing off once more when Kono's head shot up.

"Kono?"

"It's Bell."

"I thought we established it was Johnson?"

The young woman stood, eyes fixed out the door. "No, here, he just walked down the hall."

She was up and out before Chin could move.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
"What do you mean you can't make an antidote from that?" The lab tech looked frazzled, her red hair was only half in the hair elastic Danny assumed she put in at the start of the day and the bags under her eyes rivalled Danny's.

"That's not what I said, detective. We will be able to extract a sample of the toxin from this, and hopefully, eventually, we might be able to synthesise a cure. But we weren't the original engineers on this. It's much harder to understand the intricacies of someone else's work compared to something of your own, or something you've studied."

Danny didn't like it, but the explanation made sense. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you Sophie. It's been a tough couple of days." She nodded. Since the case had come in she had been the tech they'd dealt with most often, and had patiently taken the various rants Danny had thrown at her along the way.

"I know Detective. The best thing you can do now is head home and get some rest. Come back fresh in the morning." She checked her watch. "Well, later this morning."

He smiled. "I might do that. You should too."

He knew if he went back to Steve's room he would never leave the hospital and sleep was beckoning. Pulling his keys from his pocket, he headed for the parking lot. '  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Kono raced around the corner, chasing the retreating figure of Bell around the corner.

"Jacob Bell!" She called, trying not to shout given the hour. He turned, eyes landing on her.

"Miss Kalakaua. I was hoping to find you here." He looked frazzled. "May we talk in private?"

She set her face in stone. "Right this way."

Kono led Bell to the nearest unoccupied lounge, allowing him to take a seat. She remained standing.

"I've been meaning to speak to you. I heard from a colleague here that the Bailey girl died." He looked downcast. She must not have been very old. Can't have been much younger than Jemima is was." He ran a hand down his face.

Kono felt compassion begin to curl in her stomach. "Jemima was your granddaughter. What was she like?"

Bell broke into a small, sad smile. "My daughter, Hannah, was sunny and beautiful. But even she had nothing on Jemima. That little girl's smile lit up a room and her laugh, it was the sound of molten gold bubbling down a fountain. Even towards the end, she could make her father smile."

"Mr Bell, why didn't you tell us about your son in law?"

Bell wiped his eyes. "Stephen is a good man. He was a good father. When you came to me, I thought it could be him but, he's like my son and I couldn't turn him in."

Hating what she knew she had to do, Kono sighed. "Mr Bell, I understand why you've done what you have. I'm still going to have to take you in for obstruction of an investigation, especially now that Lane has died, but if you are cooperative, we might be able to work things out." Bell stood, nodding. Kono began stating his rights but forewent the handcuffs. She didn't think the downcast man in front of him was planning on doing a runner. She sent Chin a text, sent Danny nothing in the hopes he was at home sleeping. As they left, despite the fact there was a child dead, two more dying and one of her best friends fighting for her life, for once it seemed that no matter what end they reached there would be no justice.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Nine-am came too quickly for Danny. Still, as the clock ticked over, Danny rocked up at the palace, tie secured, hair gelled and feeling slightly more alive than five hours previous. He'd gone into Steve's office to get a file, pausing two steps inside the door. Kono was curled on the couch, the blanket Danny's mother had made for Steve the last time she'd been on the island draped over her. Danny smiled as he remembered the visit.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
They had been in the middle of breaking up a trafficking ring, who were moving children from the middle east to work factories off-of Hawaii. Steve had worked himself stupid, not pausing for a break in the week between the time they found the first 'shipment' of young girls to the time they shot dead the ringleader. The tussle had left Steve exhausted. More so than he had been the rest of the week. But they'd made plans to have a barbeque with Ms Williams, who had flown in the day before, and Steve's house was, as usual, the venue of choice. They'd gotten halfway through the evening when Danny noticed how subdued Steve was. It was when he'd stood to clear the plates that his face had gone sheet white, and he'd slumped to the floor. There had been panic as everyone rushed to the sides of the fallen leader. It had passed when Steve's eyes had fluttered open, then promptly closed as he fell into a deep sleep. Exhaustion. It was stupid that he'd worked himself into the state he had, but there was nothing more to be done. Danny's father had taken his legs, Danny himself, Steve's arms. Together they moved him inside and to the guest bedroom (after agreeing they weren't navigating the stairs) and deposited him gently, his father leaving as Danny settled hi under the covers. When the blanket his mother had been working on for him ended up wrapped on Steve's doorstep two days later after his parents returned to Jersey, Danny hadn't questioned it. When the blanket had been tossed over the back of the couch in Steve's office, he'd smiled. And a week later, when the ex-SEAL had crashed on his couch, exhausted from his latest stint of heroism, Danny had drawn the blanket over him and turned out the lights.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny backed away from the door, moving instead to the coffee cart he knew was opening out in the main pavilion. The day was young. His friend was dying and so were some kids. But he had slept, he was getting coffee and they had a good lead. Things could be better. But as he got a text from Chin confirming Steve was holding his own, he knew that things could also be worse.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Nine-am came too quickly for Kono. She'd left Bell for a night in the only holding cell at the palace, allowed him to sleep under the watch of the night-guard while she herself curled up on the couch in Steve's office. It seemed as if the second she fell asleep she was being shaken awake, and opening groggy eyes she saw Danny, smiling and holding a tall cup of coffee.

"We've got the warrant. Ready to get going?"

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Nine-am came too quickly for Chin. He'd dozed off around four, and it was only the nine-o'clock shift change that woke him. He'd enquired as to Steve's status, regretting it immediately when the new nurse (who'd introduced himself as Dylan) reported a .5 degree rise in temperature and the fact that Steve was resisting the ventilator significantly less than when they'd intubated him. As Dylan left, Chin stood, cracking his back and letting the knots work their way out. Danny had texted him; he and Kono were headed for the apartment with a SWAT team, Jacob Bell was waiting at the palace. He figured Steve would be alright if he left to grab a coffee. Ass usual, Steve had to prove him wrong. Three steps into the hall, he heard a shrill alarm. And it was coming from Steve's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terrible ending, I'm sorry. Next chapter in the next few days. Please let me know what you thought. Head over and check out my newest one-shot, Circles. It's Steve/Danny, a 'what if' for 1x23. Until next time,
> 
> Rose xx


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone,  
> I lied... now you're up to date with ff. This isn't a super long one but I'm hoping to get another one out later today. Anyway, enjoy this. We're getting closer to the end now...  
> Please let me know what you thought! Rose xxx

Upon returning to Steve's room, the older man thought his own heart might stop in tandem with his teammates. The tough-as-nails ex-Navy SEAL was prone on the bed, a sea of doctors around him. Each doctor is calm, but there is an air of urgency as one methodically pumps air into the tube that used to be connected to Steve's ventilator.

"Still no pulse. Beginning compressions." A large African American man Chin didn't recognise began thumping up and down upon Steve's chest, a young woman at the bedside counted aloud to the room.

"One, two, three…" Steve's face was grey, tiny beads of sweat around his hairline.

"Eleven, twelve, thirteen…" The doctor pumped rhythmically, and for the first time in all the years he'd known him, Steve looked small.

"Twenty-one, twenty-two…" People were getting a defibrillator ready, the whine of the heart monitor still reporting inaction.

"Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine…" In time with the second last compression of the rotation, Chin heard the loud crack of at least one of Steve's ribs.

"Thirty…I've got a pulse!" The doctor administering the CPR slumped back as the rest of the nurses swarmed, hooking the ventilator back up, recording vitals and generally beginning the process of recovering from near disaster. Chin kept his legs from buckling, knowing it would be hours until he was once again allowed in the room, if at all.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Danny moved with stealth from years of taking apartments in Jersey during the dead of night. His gun was drawn in front of him, left arm bracing it with his torch. Kono moved with him, a handpicked team of the best HPD officers with him. There would be no knocking today. No warning calls, just a boot in the door and heavy pressure as they moved in. Approaching number seventeen, Danny looked around, gesturing for on half of the strike team to move to the other side of the door. Clark, a burly Englishman who'd moved to Hawaii around the same time as Danny, moved forwards, kicking back and shattering the door off its' hinges with a powerful blow.

"Five-O!" The shouts came, finally and as one, the team moved forward into the house, each man and woman covering the other's back. A sound from the room closest to where the floor plans placed the balcony caught Danny's attention, and as rooms were cleared he caught Kono's attention and together they jogged to follow it. Danny could instantly see the fluttering curtains of an open window. They were only on the second story, backing onto grass, and with thoughts of his friend in a hospital bed, Danny sprinted towards the balcony, taking a second to evaluate the landing and the body pelting towards the busy road.

"I'm following!" He shouted, backing up before vaulting over the rail. Channelling pure Steven McGarrett, he tucked and rolled at the last minute, coming up onto his feet with speed already built.

Danny knew his height was deceptive; years as a high school athlete and then a city cop had made him fast and agile. Following the carnage left as early morning pedestrians were thrown out the way, Danny quickly tackled the man, careful to roll them both down to avoid any injuries. He placed a knee in the suspect's back, leaning down, satisfied when he was met with a face matching that of the photo's he'd used in the briefing earlier that morning.

Stephen Johnson. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand each of these rights I have explained to you?" There was no response. Shaking Johnson more roughly than he knew he should have, he repeated himself.

Do you understand each of these rights I have explained to you?!"

"Yes goddamn it." At that moment, light footsteps approached, and an olive hand dangled a pair of cuffs in front of him.

"Thanks, Kono." Snapping the silver locks into place with satisfaction, Danny allowed himself a breath.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Danny and Kono arrived at the station and led a silent Johnson to interrogation, handing him off to the officer standing at the door. Heading back to the bullpen to formulate their next move, it was Danny that first noticed another presence in the room.

"Chin. The hell are you doing here?"

The older man looked haggard, circles under his eyes showed he'd gotten about as much sleep as Danny.

"Steve's worse. I can't be there right now."

For a second, Danny couldn't talk. He didn't have to.

"What happened Chin?"

"He had another heart attack. They got him back, but he's busted a rib or two. Doc'll call me when they have any other information, or we can see him but…" he broke off, uncharacteristically not straight up. "They're, ah, they're saying he won't last another night at this rate. Neither will Hani or Declan."

The three remaining members of the governor's task force stood. For once, there was no plan.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
It took twenty minutes for the pity party to come, pack up and leave again. Teddy, their security guard, dropped off coffee and condolences and there was work to be done. Kono and Chin spent an hour each with Johnson with no results, and then together for another two. As two o'clock approached with no updates from the hospital, Danny could feel himself slipping. He looked over the files one more time, looking for the one detail that would help them, help Steve and the kids. As the ticking of the hall clock announced three o'clock approaching, Danny was ready to give up. His phone rang. Fearing the worst, he was relieved to see the ID. Grace.

"Monkey." He forced as smile into his voice.

"Danno. I haven't seen you in ages. You and Uncle Steve were meant to see me this weekend."

"I know baby. I'm sorry, Danno's been really busy."

"Too busy for me?" He could hear the insecurity, the hurt. And he hated that he was the one that had caused it.

"Never Grace. But there are some kids, just like you, and someone is hurting them. And Danno needs to keep them safe, just like he keeps you safe okay?"

"Okay, Danno. That's okay then. You should go and keep them safe, okay?"

Nodding even though he knew she could not see, Danny sniffed back tears. "Yeah, baby. Danno loves you okay."

"Love you too Danno."

She hung up. In the hallway, with tears in his eyes and the sound of his daughter's voice ringing in his ears, Danny knew what had to be done.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Danny sat opposite Johnson, silent. He pulled out a photo and slid it across the table.

"Stephan? This is my daughter, Gracie. I call her my monkey." The first response since he'd been there, Johnson picked the picture up, delicately holding it between two fingers. The ghost of a smile crossed his face.

"She's beautiful," a pause, "Jemima used to smile like that."

"Grace smiles like that all the time, but whenever she's with Steve, it's glued across her face." Danny let the smile drop off his own face. "You know Steve. He's my partner. You gave him the same poison you gave those three children. Gracie doesn't know yet, but today Steve died. The got him back, but he did die. I'll have to tell her, tomorrow, that Steve's dying." He took a second to hold back the emotion in his voice. "I have to give her a chance to say goodbye to her Uncle Steve."

Johnson looked up, and in another first, met Danny's eyes.

"I Don't think she'll smile like that for a long time if Steve dies. I know what happened to you wasn't fair. I know it hurts. But hurting these people can't change that. It won't bring Jemima back and you, you'll hurt this little girl right here."

Johnson looked up, tears sliding down his face. "I miss her so much."

Danny sighed. "I can't say I know how you feel because I don't. But please, make this right. Don't take my friend away. Don't take her Uncle away. And don't do to those families what happened to yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know.  
> Rose xx


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one to tide you over until tomorrow.  
> Rose xx

Steve was in Russia. That was the only reason to explain the fog around him; Russian was the only place he’d ever been with fog that thick. Why was he in Russia, what was going- oh. The op had gone bad. Steve had led them through the forest of Siberia. The team had been young, it was only Mericho’s third op, Jamison’s first. Steve himself was the oldest but he had no problem taking command. Everything had been going well until Jamison stumbled. A boot in the wrong place and there was a crack like a gunshot but Steve knew it to be the crack of the lake they had been circling. The fog was thick so Steve dived towards where he thought he’d last seen Jamison, feeling the daggers of ice water as they penetrated his skin. He could make out a dark shadow he knew had to be the rookie and reached out, pulled, felt the two of them break the surface. Like a well-oiled machine, the rest of the team pulled Jamison out. Steve tried to follow but another crack echoed and Steve knew that that time it was a gunshot. Knew it by the searing pain in his gut.   
“Move out, evac point is half a mile, abort the mission and go. I’ve got Jamison now go.” Nothing mattered but his team. They listened without hesitation, moving and Steve heaved himself the rest of the way out of the water, ducking around the whizzing lead and hauling the shivering rookie into his arms.  
“Commander I’m fine.” Jamison’s voice was quaking, the glimpse of his lips Steve had seen was blue and when he’d pushed him from the water he’d seen the way his ankle stuck out the wrong way, likely the result of the fall that had led to the whole mess.   
“No, you’re not Jamison, but you will be. Stay still now mate, we’ll be out of here soon.” The fog was thick, and his stomach was burning but he could still see the tails of his team. He counted his steps in his head, cataloguing each as part of the half-mile that lay between them and the helicopter. He could finally hear the thwack of the blades over the gunfire and then he could see the chopper too, his team giving cover-fire as one of them held hands out for Jamison. Grateful to relieve himself of the weight, he made his men load up, last in s was his duty. He slammed the doors closed, strapped himself in. Jamison was laid on the floor as they took off, blankets piled on him as the medic began looking over the ankle, splinting it.   
“Commander.” Steve looked up, confused to see the second medic handing a blanket to him.  
“Huh” The fog must have followed them up on take-off because it was still clouding Steve’s vision.   
“Commander you went in too. We need you to take off your clothes and get you warm.”  
“Wha’? “m fine.” The medic, Kyle, looked suddenly worried.   
“Commander I’m going to help you alright?” Kyle reached for his belt and Steve was suddenly worried. What the hell was going on? He tried to push Kyle away but his hands were heavy.  
“It’s alright Commander I’m just getting you warmed up.” Steve watched as he turned away to face the other medic, Casey, who had finished up with Jamison. “Case I need help over here. There’s something wrong with the Commander.”  
“Huh?” The unintelligible sound was once again the only thing Steve could force past his lips as the other medic made his way to them. Powerless against the two men, Steve was lowered to the floor against his will, suddenly aware the rest of his team, including Jamison, were watching on with worried eyes.   
“It’s alright Steve. Can I call you Steve?” Casey was pulling his clothes off. A first name hardly seemed more intimate. He nodded.   
“It’s going to be alright Steve, we’ll figure out what’s…oh shit, Kyle we’re in trouble.” They’d removed his top, as well as his pants and Steve was shivering as blood slipped down his stomach. The team were now leaning in to help. They looked like they had it covered. Steve was pretty sure he could close his eyes, he trusted them. He let his lids slip.  
There was a hand on his face, warm on his freezing skin, which would have been nice if it hadn’t slapped him. “Come on Steve, stay with me. Eyes open.” Steve was really cold. He didn’t want to open his eyes. “Fight for me, Steve. Come on you idiot fight for me. You got to stay with us, babe.” That wasn’t right. He’d worked with Kyle and Casey before but they weren’t friendly. Not enough to call him babe. In fact, the only person who called him that was Danny. But he didn’t know a Danny. The fog was thick again and the Danny man was still talking to him. The fog was settling deeper. Steve let it.   
____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
“Fight for me, Steve. Come on you idiot fight for me. You got to stay with us, babe.” Danny sighed, slumping next to Steve as the ventilator hissed. The brunette had never looked worse. He’d lost too much weight; his hair was lank and thinning. There was three days-worth of a beard and circled deeply bruising underneath his eyes. Johnson had given a location three hours north of the palace in their earlier interrogation, to a small shack in the forest he’d taken Jemima camping at. He’d given his word there was a vial of an antitoxin in a cupboard at the back of the bathroom. Given his word didn’t mean shit Danny still had him in interrogation until such a time that Steve himself could confirm he was okay. Chin and Kono had taken the drive. Danny had taken vigil with the friend who doctors said would be lucky to survive the six-hour round trip to get the cure.   
“Come on babe. Fight with me.”  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The trip there was meant to take three hours. Chin made it in two. He and Kono stormed the tiny log cabin. Any other day they would have taken a second to admire the drawings taped everywhere, clearly the work of a young girl. Instead, they ran through the cabin, tearing through the first bathroom they found with no luck. The second bathroom was further back. They moved through it more carefully.

There was a vial, in a sealed bag on one of the shelves in the bathroom just as Johnson said it would be. There was no list of ingredients, no name on the vial. Just two words in neat script. Mua Hala. Chin bagged it up and sighed. The Hawaiian phrase for revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it. Until tomorrow,  
> Rose xx


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's pretend I had a family crisis which is why I didn't update...not that I could NOT get this chapter to work how I wanted. Now, it isn't long but it is here so please, please tell me what you thought.
> 
> Rose xx

If Chin had thought the two hours it had taken to reach the cabin had been tense, they were nothing on the trip back. The first hour of the trip was sheer panic, with no phone reception he, and Kono beside him, could do nothing but wonder if the effort had been for nothing and Steve and died in the hours they had been out of reach. As Kono’s phone lit up with a message from Danny asking how far out they were, Chin could suddenly breathe a bit easier with the knowledge their boss was not yet gone.   
“How far to the turn off Kono?” The green whizzed by, hundreds of trees blurring into one canopy.   
“Two miles on your right.” He accelerated.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny Williams knew fear. He’d been a cop in Jersey. He’d been there while his wife screamed through labour. The screams were as loud as the silence when his baby girl had slipped into the world, no cries coming from her mouth and the umbilical cord wrapped around her tiny neck. Danny Williams knew fear, and this was it. The doctor had come in an hour ago and asked if Steve had any family they needed to contact. When Danny had replied there was only one who was hours away, the man had asked about friends on the island, anyone that might want to say goodbye. So, Danny had called everyone he knew. He started with Mary, briefing her about what was happening and comforting her through tears as she booked the first flight. A flight that would land hours after the doctor said Steve would die unless the got a cure. He called Kamekona. The older man, never one for holding back emotion, had promised to be there as soon as he could. Danny had worked through his contacts, hoping to surround himself not with people to farewell Steve but to ground him firmly to Hawaii. Danny hoped it would be enough.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
It was six o’clock when the door finally opened. Danny looked up, mustering a smile when he saw who’d come through the door, offering a wave as her guardian left with a nod in his direction.   
“Hey, monkey.” For once the small girl didn’t smile at the affectionate term.   
“What’s up, baby?”  
she still didn’t so much as twitch her lips, instead, making a beeline for the bed.   
“Daddy is Uncle Steve going to die?”  
Danny didn’t have a chance to answer.   
“No Gracie, he won’t die.” Danny startled, relieved to see the rest of the team at the door.  
“Chin?” He asked, daring to hope.   
“It was exactly where he said it would be.” Danny stood, legs shaking and hugged the man. It was then he noticed the lack of doctors streaming through the door, the absence of life-saving medication being administered. The only sound was still Steve’s ventilator.   
“They have to test it, Danny, make sure it’s actually going to help him and not just kill him instantly.” He saw the look of pain on both Grace and Danny’s faces. “Sorry. They should know for sure in a few hours.”  
Danny exploded. “Steve doesn’t have a few hours! He had a few hours a few hours ago! What are they waiting for? It isn’t going to make him worse and if it does they’re only speeding up what would have happened anyway.”  
It was Kono who spoke up. “Danny Steve isn’t the only person we need to think about. The need to analyse that sample, make sure it’s safe and duplicate it so they can save Hani and Declan. They weren’t given as man doses and they will probably hold on a few more days to make sure it’s safe.”  
“What about Steve!?” Danny’s chest was heaving, he could feel the colour rising in his face. “Steve is here because of those kids.”  
Kono stepped forward, showing restrain Rachel had never had in the face of Dann’s explosive Temper, rested a had on his shoulder. In his fury, he didn’t notice Chin gently leading Grace back into the hallway.   
“Danny Williams. When Steve became a Navy SEAL he swore to be Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow and to Never Quit. On this case he has led us, he has followed our lead and now we need to trust that he will never quit. If Steve was awake he would never take his own life above those kids’ and whether we agree with that or not we have to respect it. There is a team of lab techs that have slept less than us this past week and they are working to make sure the man in that bed will be back and protecting them as soon as is possible. There is a chance Steve will die. But I don’t think he’ll let that happen and I have faith he will fight. Maybe it’s time you did too.”  
“Kono I-”  
“Have a think about that Danny.” 

Danny spent the minute after Kono left staring at the door she had disappeared through. Finally, he exhaled, letting the breath leave with his anger and slumped back into the chair he had occupied for the past hours. He wasn’t religious but if he was he imagined this is where he should pray.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
“Uncle Chin is Daddy mad because Uncle Steve is going to die?” Chin looked at the girl drawing on the floor below him, catching a glance of several figures on the yellow line he assumed was Steve’s private beach.   
“I think your Dad is mad because Uncle Steve is trying really hard to stay here with us and Danno doesn’t think he can help him.”  
“But he is helping him. When I’m sick and Daddy sits with me, it always makes me feel better.”  
“I know that, and you know that. Deep down, even Danno knows that. But when you’re really scared sometimes you don’t think properly.”  
The young girl looked aghast. “But Daddy’s never scared.”  
“I know that’s what he says, but I know he was scared when you had appendicitis. And I know he’s scared now. Usually, when someone is mad Gracie, it’s because they’re scared deep down.”   
“But what can I do to make him not scared?”  
“You could go back and sit with him. Stay with him so that even if he’s scared, he doesn’t have to be alone.”   
“Ok.”  
Chin wished he was still a child. That things were still as simple as two letters.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny had been dozing with Grace on his lap for close to three hours when the door suddenly opened, Steve’s primary with no less than three nurses alongside him.  
“It’s been cleared and duplicated. We’re ready to administer the antidote Detective.” Danny thought he would cry, picking Grace up and backing up to allow the job to be done. Over in seconds, the injection into Steve’s IV line was the most anticlimactic event of the day.   
“We just have to wait now, detective. Wait and hope he has enough strength to fight it out until that kicks in.” Danny shook the man’s hand, aware he as giving him credit for the work of many others that were likely now curled up asleep in various positions in a darkened lab. It didn’t dampen the gratitude his words followed to express.  
While Danny waited at Steve’s bedside like so many times before, Grace went home. Kono, Chin, Kamekona and others sat vigil in the waiting room.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
When Steve finally opened his eyes, Danny nearly missed it. The doctor had been in an hour before  
“Hey there buddy. We’ve been waiting for you to open those eyes for a while now.” Danny could feel the tears slipping down his face, but any care was long gone. “How you feeling?”  
Instead of the smile he expected, Danny was met with panic and, for just a moment, terror.   
Monitors began beeping and Steve flailed around, gagging on the tube in his mouth.  
“Steve, Steve, calm down babe. Calm down. Help!” The last word was directed out the door.   
“Come on Steve, calm down, it’s alright.”   
Steve looked at him with confusion shining in his eyes. He settled back in the bed, but the panic didn’t abate. When he caught Danny’s gaze and pointed at his ears with a shake of his head, Danny suddenly realised where the panic had come from. And suddenly the fear in his partner’s eyes was reflected in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...? Let me know what you thought!
> 
> Rose xx


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone. I'm so sorry for not updating. I'm training for my third half-marathon and my time has been monopolized by that, homework and other things lately. So my apologies, the next chapter will be back on Thursday as it should be. This didn't go where I thought it would so I hope it is okay. Please let me know!  
> Rose xxx
> 
> Two other things  
> *For reference, Grace is meant to be seven or eight in this. Once again, I'm taking creative licence, but it works better for me if she is young enough to have things explained in a 'little kid' way.  
> *My medical knowledge is based partly off googling and partly off nothing but pig-logic. If you have an MD, try not to pick it apart :)

"It may be temporary." The words rang in Danny's ears, though he knew the same was not true for Steve.

"May?" Danny wasn't sure the day could be longer, and it had only just gone nine am. During the night, Hani and Declan had both woken with no ill-effects. Bell had been detained for questioning before a decision could be made regarding sentencing and Johnson was awaiting trial. But Danny, Chin and Kono were exactly where they'd been since the investigation had been mostly wrapped up and handed off to the local PD; at Steve's bedside.

Steve had, despite his anxiety and best efforts, fallen back to sleep almost immediately after his doctor had arrived, and was still as such, not having stirred during the loud MRI he had, nor the CT and battery of blood tests. The stillness was worse than the waking panic. His partner was still tied to the bed by multiple IV's, a catheter and worst of all, the ventilator.

"Just a precaution." Danny had been assured. "Help him get his strength back without straining his lung too much. We'll remove it when he's a little more coherent, a bit stronger." Danny wasn't sure he had ever been more tired.

"Yes Detective, may." The doctor sighed, no doubt every bit as tired as Danny himself. Callahan was his name and he had overseen the case at the hospital. 5-0 had seen little of him, with the man working closest with his younger patients. However, with the two children awake and near ready to be discharged, his focus had been sifted to his oldest patient.

"The lab techs have completed their analysis of the toxin. It was essentially a mix of various viruses. One of which was a derivative of meningitis. Nearly thirty percent of meningitis cases end in a degree of hearing loss due to inflammation around the brain and the fluid in and around the ear canal. In some cases, this is temporary. We are administering the anti-virus continually now that it has been duplicated to eliminate the trace elements of the virus itself in Steve's blood and we're hoping this will help reverse the hearing loss. We don't have any data on this disease, obviously, but with meningitis at least, at least half of sufferers who are treated within the first few days will reverse the hearing loss. We're still optimistic, Detective and you need to be too. It will help Steve."

Danny took a second to absorb the information. One detail stuck out and again his rage was invoked, his usual restraint non-existent after the roller-coaster week he'd had.

"Did you just say the lab techs have finished their evaluation?"

Callahan frowned. "Yes detective, they faxed me the report several minutes before I was alerted that Steve was awake."

"Are you telling me that we have been working on that report all week and it's only now we have a cure, only now that it doesn't even matter, that we have a report?"

"Detective our techs have been doing the best the can. Having an anti-virus sped the process considerably, it led us to be able to understand the fabrication much better."

Danny took a step towards the doctor, taking a breath. Kono interrupted before he could get another word out. "Danny calm down, we don't need you yelling and-"

"And what Kono? Waking Steve up? Don't think that'll be a problem. Hell, I could bring in a bloody metal band and play Metallica and he'd be none the wiser. I'm so glad your scientists were just waiting for the easy way out on this report rather than working harder. If they'd have had this report done yesterday, maybe Steve would be awake now because my shouting would have woken him!"

Danny didn't take another breath before slamming the door open, stalking out the hall. As he approached the elevator he was stopped by a small girl, holding a balloon and a picture.

"Daniel, where are you going?" Rachel spoke before her daughter, hand gripping Grace's tightly when she saw the unconcealed anger on her ex's face.

Without a glance at his daughter or ex-wife, Danny turned towards the stairwell. It would be faster than the elevator anyway.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Kono watched Danny disappear out the door, knowing he needed a few minutes to cool off before anyone attempted to go after him. She addressed Callahan.

"I'm sorry about him. They're close, this hasn't been easy for him. But that isn't an excuse and when he's calmed down he'll apologise himself."

Callahan smiled. "Thank you, but he isn't the first concerned family member to yell at me in my career. Hell, he isn't even the first this week. As I said earlier, we are administering the anti-virus and hopefully, this hearing loss will be temporary. And, if it isn't we can cross that bridge later."

Both Kono and Chin shook the doctor's hand, happy for him to take his leave. As he left, the door stayed open and another to figures walked in.

"Uncle Steve!" Grace's young voice cried. It was a testament to Steve's recklessness that the sight of her beloved Uncle with a tube in his throat wasn't cause for a double take. Rachel waited back with a look of confusion as the usually light-sleeping Navy man didn't stir as her daughter approached. Grace too, seemed to notice the oddity, slowing her approach. It was a testament to Steve's recklessness that the sight of her beloved Uncle with a tube in his throat wasn't cause for a double take.

"Uncle Steve?" Questioning, this time, she stopped short of touching Steve's pale arm. Kono felt dread well up at the conversation she knew she needed to have in the wake of Danny's absence.

She knelt by Grace, shooting Rachel a look in lei of a greeting. "Hey, Gracie." She halted there, pulling the girl into a hug that was tentatively returned.

"Auntie Kono, why isn't Uncle Steve waking up? Is it why Daddy left?"

Kono sometimes resented the young girl's keen observation. "Gracie, Uncle Steve is still very sick, you know that?" Grace nodded. Her father had explained that though Steve wasn't going to die anymore, he still had a temperature and felt really bad.

"Well, one of the parts of Steve that is sick is his ears. He can't hear at the moment. The doctors hope it will get better, but it might not, okay?"

Rachel's gasp was a louder reaction than Grace's wide eyes. "Does that mean he will wake up if I give him a big hug then?"

Smiling sadly at the childish logic, Kono shrugged. "It might Gracie. He's very tired but either way, I know a hug would make him feel lots better. Just be careful of the tubes, okay?"

Smile fixed back in place, Grace resumed her approach to the bed, climbing up on the chair she didn't know her father had spent the night in; from there she wriggled here way into Steve's side, cuddling up close.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Steve could feel something small and warm worm its way next to him. Something, likely an arm, draped itself across his stomach. He felt small feet rest against his legs. There was only one person that would cuddle against him like that. Grace. There was a moment of confusion. Though mature, Grace wasn't usually quiet. And Steve, with his finely tuned ears, should have been to hear the sheets rustling as she got settled. With further thought, he could also feel a tube resting uncomfortably in his throat and knew he should have been able to hear the rhythmic hiss as it gave him air; air he could feel rushing in and out of his chest with an icy rush. It was the lack of a steadily eating heart monitor that finally made memory come flooding back. The case, the kids. Finding himself in hospital, not able to hear Danny's elation as he woke from what must have been yet another closes call. Dread crept up, but lack of strength and the girl on his chest stopped him thrashing up from sleep. He felt airy as if he would float away. Too hot, but with beads of ice pooling in his collarbone from where they dripped down his neck. Every limb ached, and he knew that falling back into a gentle sleep would e a thousand times more pleasant than his waking. But no one had ever called Steve McGarrett a stranger to pain. He pried his eyes open, moaning without sound as the light took to his head like an ice-pick.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Grace's head shot up as she heard a muffled groan from the body she lay on. The rest of the room heard the noise, too, and though they crowded in Grace had eyes only for the pained man below her.

His eyes were slitted against the light, duller than the sparkling sea blue she was used to. She ran a finger down his face, starting above his eye and racing the outline of a brow and cheekbone that were more pronounced than the last time she had seen him.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Steve could feel the panic he had tried to quench well up as he opened his eyes and was met with a painful, soundless world. But a small hand ran across his face and he was met with brown eyes the sound of a full moon.

"Grace?" He whispered, lips struggling to form a word he couldn't hear.

Her lips moved quickly, a smile on her face. It quickly disappeared when she realised he couldn't hear her. The brown of her eyes became glassy and as tears pooled, he reached a heavy arm to pull her head back into his side, hating he was the reason for those tears. With Grace's head no longer obscuring his vision, he could see the faces of Chin, Kono and Rachel- Rachel? He was sure his partner was meant to be Grace's father, not her mother.

"Danny?" He tried once more to whisper but knew not how successful he'd been until Kono approached. She offered a hand through his hair, the gentle movement a welcome relief from the other sensations across his body, all of them pain. She grasped his hand and began tracing letters there, making sure he could see what she was doing as well as feel it.

A-N-E-U-R-I-S-M. She paused, placing his hand back on the bed and raising her's to her hair, miming a head exploding before pointing to the door. Getting the drift, Steve felt rather than heard the rumble of his own laugh. He wanted to ask more questions, wanted more answers, but the simple movements he had made so far were exhausting. Even with a machine breathing for him and a body lying limp on the bed, he could feel exhaustion pushing past his walls. Sleep was upon him before he'd had a chance to properly wake.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Kono sighed as her boss slipped back to sleep, seemingly without noticing. She nodded at Chin, watching as he sank into Danny's old seat, resting a comforting hand on Grace's back as she furiously clung to Steve's unmoving body. Gesturing to Rachel, she moved outside with the other woman.

"Kono is this permanent?" For her faults, Rachel did care. For her daughter, her ex-husband and for the man lying on a hospital bed a room over.

"They don't know yet."

"Do I take it that Daniel isn't taking it well?"

Kono managed a watery chuckle. "You could say that. You saw him on your way in?" It wasn't really question. "He could do with someone to talk to. With Steve out, you're the one that knows him best. If you don't mind, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

The British woman smiled. "I couldn't ever live with him, but I do care for him. I'll find him, just keep an eye on Grace for me?"

"Of course."  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Danny made it as far as the bench in the hospital's garden before his anger gave way to desolation. He sunk down, head falling to his hands, pulling at his hair in an attempt to manifest the pain that was churning up in his chest. The anger, he realised was not anger, but guilt and fear. Fear for Steve, for fiercely independent Steve who had never relied on anyone in his life and who's independence gave him life. Fear for the man he had grown to love as a brother and a life that would fade away with his hearing. Guilt for not being better, being faster, for not figuring out he was sick earlier, for not getting Johnson sooner, for not being able to keep his partner safe as Steve had done for him so many times before. His phone buzzed in his pocket. For a second he considered ignoring it, but couldn't fathom missing a message regarding Steve for something as stupid as his own stubbornness. He quickly saw it was a message from Tim Richards, the supervising officer at the holding cells as HPD. Swiping to unlock it, his breath caught.

"Gahh." He stood, ripping the chunk of hair he'd kept grasped in his free hand clean from his head and letting tears he'd been too afraid to cry for the past week out as he hurled his phone across the garden.

Because Johnson had killed himself. Johnson was with his daughter and Danny couldn't bear to face his knowing he was in part responsible for her Uncle's condition. And there really was just no justice in that.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short. It's late. I'm not happy but I thought I owed you guys a chater. Also, I'd love some feedback, not much at all on the last chapter so would love to know what you're thinking.  
> Thanks,  
> Rose xx

Danny had been pacing the garden with badly subdued rage for nearing fifteen minutes when he suddenly was stopped by a body colliding with his.  
“Oh, I’m sorry- Rachel?”  
His ex had been the last person he’d expected to see.   
“Good to see you too Danny.” For once there was no malice in her voice. “Come sit, will you?”  
Too tired to put up resistance, Danny meandered over to the bench with her, slumping down.   
“Steve woke up while you were gone.” Danny couldn’t manage more than a disappointed sigh.   
“He was worried about you.”  
He laughed humorously. “Of course, he was. Probably tried to escape, I take it?”  
“He didn’t have the energy for that I’m afraid. The poor thing was tired out from the three-minute conversation we had with him.”  
Danny shot up. “Conversation? He could hear you?”  
“No Danny, sorry I should have chosen my words more carefully. He was asking questions, Kono was more of less miming. He fell back asleep before we had anything too complicated to worry about.”  
Danny slumped back down. “Right.”

Rachel allowed Danny to mope in silence for several minutes before deciding he’d had enough time wallowing.   
“Danny, your friend is alive. There is a family I that hospital that wasn’t that lucky. Right now, he needs you. He needs you to be there for him like he’s always been there for you. I’m heading back there to wait for him to wake again and keep Grace company. Come or don’t. It’s you who’ll suffer.” She began to walk away.   
“Rachel, wait.” Danny jogged o keep up with her. “Wait up.”  
___________________________________________________________________________________  
Steve was looking almost as bad as the last time Danny had seen him. The ventilator still obscured his face, a fact which surprised the jersey man.   
“I thought you said he was talking?”  
Rachel chuckled. “Sorry. He was trying to, whispering around the tube. We got a general idea. I don’t think he was thinking too clearly.”  
Danny nodded, moving further into the room and running a hand over Grace’s hair. It seemed that in the time Rachel had been gone, their daughter had fallen to sleep; soothed by the motion of Steve’s chest rising and falling mechanically. Just as Danny had settled back into his chair with a greeting to Danny and Kono, Callahan walked in, several nurses in tow. Danny knew he had an apology to make; he rose.  
“Dr Callahan. I wanted to say sorry about earlier, I was way out of line and-”  
Callahan placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder; like most men, he towered over the detective.   
“Nothing I haven’t had and nowhere near the worst. Say, help me wake your buddy up and we’ll call it even ay?”  
“Sure I’ll- wait, he needs to wake up? I thought it was better for him to be sleeping now?”  
“We’ve just received his latest chest scans. He’s also been taking breaths independent of the vent in the last few hours. We’re ready to extubate.”  
Danny smiled. “That’s great. Give me a second?” Callahan nodded. Danny moved first to Grace, gently shaking her shoulder.   
“Wake up Monkey.” Blinking big eyes, Grace woke slowly.   
“Danno!” She flung herself at him, giving him an embrace which he returned with equal fervour.   
“Hey, Grace. I need to have a moment with the doctor and Uncle Steve. I’ll catch up with you down in the cafeteria in a little bit kay? Grab some lunch with you?” Rachel nodded behind her.   
“Okay, Danno. I want to tell you all about my new science project, okay?”  
“Can’t wait, baby.” He patted her backside, pushing her gently towards her mother waiting at the door. 

Kono stood, pulling Chin with her.   
“Coffee time for us, cuz. Well, be back soon brah.”   
“See you then.” Danny was alone with Steve and the medical team. He moved to his friend’s bedside.   
Danny placed a hand on Steve’s arm, attempting to wake the SEAL similarly to how he’d woken his daughter.   
Steve shifted, face creasing as he was roused. Finally, Steve’s eyes, clouded with exhaustion he’d yet to shake, opened.   
As soon as his eyes opened, Callahan moved in, holding up a sign he’d obviously prepared.   
“REMOVING TUBE. STAY CALM. DANNY NEXT TO YOU.”  
Steve attempted to nod his understanding and Danny moved to the foot of the bed where he could be seen but not in the way, placing what he hoped was a comforting hand on Steve’s ankle. He locked eyes with the SEAL, nodding once.  
Callahan moved back into Steve’s line of sight, holding u another sign and reading for Danny’s benefit.  
“I’ll count to three with my fingers. On three, cough as hard as you can.” Steve once again nodded, and the nurses got into position, fiddling around and unhooking the monitors attached to the ventilator. Callahan held up his fingers, beginning the countdown both there and out-loud.   
“-three.” Steve expelled air in a fierce cough, choking and spluttering.   
Dann gripped his ankle tightly, rubbing his thumb gently up and down the ankle to try and keep him calm. Finally, the tube was out and Steve was left gasping on the bed, slowly regaining control of his breathing even as an oxygen mask was slipped over his head, a disgruntled moan as he realised what the obstructive plastic was.   
Callahan faced Danny. “I need a little while to run some tests, I want a full chest panel to make sure there are n ill effects from his time intubated. I think your daughter said something about wanting to tell you about a science project? Go be with our family and we’ll be done before you know it.”  
All of Danny’s arguments about leaving Steve had been shut down effectively by the level-headed doctor. He eyeballed Steve and the brunette man nodded, clearly not needing sound to identify Danny’s conflict.   
“Go.” There was a hoarse grunt Danny was just able to decipher. Once more tightening his grip on Steve’s foot in goodbye, he left, off to see his daughter and convince himself for a minute that everything was okay.   
___________________________________________________________________________________  
Steve once more blinked himself into wakefulness and for the first time since he’d initially come to in the hospital, the light didn’t pierce his eyes. He rolled his neck, seeing that Danny had returned since leaving after the extubating. Steve hadn’t lasted long after the tests, exhausted simply from the act of not sleeping ad he’d been out before the blonde-haired detective had returned.   
“-kay Steve, It’ll-” The words were faint, and they faded out but with a shout, Steve realised something. He had heard them. Sitting bolt upright, he stared at Danny.  
“Danny I can hear you. I can hear you!” He might have been yelling, he couldn’t hear anymore, but he had. And once was enough to know that he’d be okay. Steve’s smile stretched the length of the ocean and his eyes sparkled twice as bright.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short but it's nearly on time...right?  
> Hope you like it, please let me know. One more to go, it'll be a big one!

“Danny I can hear you. I can hear you!” For a second, Danny couldn’t breathe, but then there was a whoosh as the wall of tension that had been sitting high in his chest since he’d first realised Steve was getting sick cracked and fell, and Danny was suddenly ten pounds lighter.  
“Steve that’s amazing!” His grin surely matched the one on Steve’s face.  
Steve’s brow furrowed. “What?”  
Danny’s smile faltered. “I thought you could hear?” He made sure to enunciate clearly.  
Steve’s own toothy grin remained firmly intact. “I’m getting flashes, not everything but I can hear something.”  
And he must have been able to; his volume was relatively stable, not going between shouting and whispering like Dany’s hard-of-hearing grandfather.  
“You need some tests. They will take a little while.”  
“I got tests, how long will it be”  
Danny turned to Callahan, who in turn came close enough for Steve to see his lips as they moved. “Now he’s hearing some, I want to do a few hearing tests along with the chest panel, this is a good sign of improvement.”  
Steve’s smile didn’t waver. “What I heard sounded good. Hell, the fact I heard anything ‘sounds’ good.”  
Callahan smiled, and backed out of the room. A team of nurses dived in, one bringing with her a wheelchair.  
Danny took the lead, moving over to Steve. “They need you up. Help out, you get that?”  
“I’m going for tests, they want me in the chair, don’t be a pain in the arse. Got it.”  
Danny chuckled. “That’s about it.”

The operation of moving Steve from the bed to the chair reminded Danny just how sick his friend still was. As usual, Steve had taken the all-in approach, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as soon as his IV had been transferred- then promptly fallen sideways as the sudden change is position had made him lose the little colour he’d gained back. After reluctantly accepting help he’d finally been situated in the chair, shivering and looking slightly green. Danny moved to take the blanket from the foot of his bed, covering Steve’s bare legs and warding he chill from a cold hospital room and standard issue hospital gown. Steve managed a smile.  
“Thanks, Danno.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An hour and a half later, Steve was wheeled back into the room, fast asleep. Two orderlies accompanied the nurse wheeling him, leaning in to pick the slumbering man up and transferring him to the bed without him ever stirring. Danny looked to the nurse, worried at the lack of response. She was quick to quell his fears.  
“He’s fine. Remember that he’s still recovering, the tests and the move took a lot out of him. He’ll sleep through to the morning. And I suggest you should as well. You’ve been here much too long detective, it’s time to get some rest yourself.”  
Danny was ready to fight within seconds. “What about-” he looked around, suddenly processing that Chin and Kono had farewelled him around the same time Grace and Rachel had left. He’d barely noticed. “-Oh.”  
The nurse smiled, straightening out Steve’s bedclothes and adjusting his IV. “Yes detective, Oh. I’ll be telling the next nurse on that you aren’t too be back before ten am tomorrow and I’ll expect for you to have showered and eaten. Okay?”  
He nodded, standing.  
“I’ve called a cab for you detective, you’re in no state to drive. See you tomorrow night.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By the time Danny stumbled through the door to his apartment, he could barely keep his eyes open. He’d thrown a few notes at the cab driver with mumbled thanks but knew he wasn’t up to anything requiring as many motor skills as showering. Muscle memory led him into his room, the small bed cold. It didn’t matter. He shrugged off his shirt, kicked at his shoes when his pants got tangled in them. Down to his boxers, he fell into bed and thought no more. 

Warm rays across his chest woke Danny. For blessed seconds, he lay basking, mind clear. Then he saw the time, numbers faintly glowing in the morning sun. It was ten to twelve. Shooting up, he hopping to the shower, stumbling over the boots he’d thrown off the night before. Stepping under the water without thinking he let out a yelp, the temperature icy. But it had sufficiently woken him. Ten minutes later, he’d thrown on jeans and a new button-down, slipping his boots on as he trod towards the kitchen. The coffee machine was flicked on and he set about savaging through the fridge, finally finding a loaf of bread that had an un-mouldy side. With the coffee ready and toast butter, he scrambled out the door as the clock turned midday. It was only once he’d arrived on the curb that he realised his car was still in the hospital parking lot. Grumbling, he pulled out his phone and called another cab.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The trip to the hospital allowed Danny time to calm himself. He’d been gone for around fifteen hours, chances were that nothing had happened in that time; and even if it had, he reasoned, as Steve’s medical proxy, he would have known. By the time he walked through Steve’s floor, he could appreciate the benefit of the shower and food, as well as some decent sleep. The good mood was broken as he walked into Steve’s room and found him glaring.  
“Woah, you trying to kill me with that glare?”  
Steve looked up. “Idontknowwhatyoujustsaid.”  
“Come again? This time without the mumbling please?”  
“I don’t know what you just said.”  
Concerned with the lack of optimism that had been present the day before, Dann moved to sit next to his friend who had resumed his glare, slumped against the raised head of the bed.  
“What’s going on Steve?” He made sure to talk loudly and slowly, looking directly towards him as he spoke.  
“What’s going on?” He asked and the tentativeness in the question was something Dany wasn’t used to in a man who was usually so sure of himself. Danny nodded anyway. “They want me to get hearing aids.”  
“So?” Short seemed easier for Steve.  
“I’m not an invalid!” He exploded, bolting upright.  
Danny raised placating hands. “Never said so. They might help?”  
“What do you mean you told me so!” Murder shone in Steve’s eyes.  
“Never! I never said so. Have you thought the aids,” he gestured to his ears, “might help?”  
Steve deflated, the apathy more disturbing than anger. “I’d be discharged.”  
So that was what it was about. “It’s okay Steve.”  
“No it’s not! I’m nothing without them! My life will be nothing.’’  
Danny reached out, hand grasping Steve’s chin and holding his head steady, eyes locked. “That is not true. You are more than the navy. You are a good man, a good friend, uncle, a member of 5-0. When you can hear more, I will give you another hundred reasons you are more than that career.” He released his grasp and went to leave. He had a doctor to find. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By the same time twenty-four hours later, Steve was stretched out on the lanai, fast asleep as he had been for most of the time since he’d initially awoken. Two large flesh coloured devices sat in his ears; Steve and his doctor had spent much of the previous days testing his hearing and the doctor was reasonably certain (though he had reported it gently to Steve) that Steve would never likely gain back his hearing to a level that would satisfy his work without the aids. The aids had been calibrated to Steve’s hearing level and fitted, an order placed for much more discrete, high tech versions. And despite being able to hear probably more clearly than he had in years, since they’d arrived him, Steve hadn’t said a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought.  
> Thanks for coming!  
> Rose


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have lied.... I found a good place to end this chapter and as such, I present you with Mua Hala, chapter 15 of 16 (16 of 17 if you included the prologue). Please enjoy and review.  
> Rose xx

Danny allowed Steve three days. Three days of sitting in his beach chair, talking to no one and moving only for bed and bathroom, eating only what Danny placed in front of him. Danny gave him three days to allow in self-pity, three days of the denial. But when the sun rose in the morning on the fourth day, Danny put his foot down. When Steve meandered downstairs (at 10 am, something the Steve of old would never have considered) Dann was waiting for him. Thrusting a towel and trunks at Steve, Danny held out his other hand.  
“Give me the aids. Put these on and get your arse out for a swim. I expect you back in a half hour.”  
Steve glared at him. “Screw you, Danny.” He tried to sidestep, making no move to take any of Danny’s offerings. Danny moved quickly, blocking.  
“Did I stutter Steven? Give me the fucking aids and get your self-pitying arse in the ocean.” Perhaps it was the swearing, uncharacteristic of the father to a young girl, or the ice Danny knew was in his glare, but Steve slowly moved to unhook the tan clips from his ears, depositing them in Danny’s waiting hands. Quickly stripping, he slid the trunks over his boxers and took the towel. He was out the door with a glare over his shoulder. Danny took it as a win.  
Danny knew he would only have the half-hour he had instructed Steve to work. The man may be in a depressed slump, but his body clock was a well-oiled machine, precise almost to the second. Depositing the aids in a dish on the bench which was home already to keys, change and a bullet casing (Dany decided he wouldn’t ask), Danny set about in the kitchen. Throwing spinach, cucumber, Greek yoghurt, chia seeds, half a banana and protein powder Steve stored in the cupboard inside an old bucket all together in the blender, Danny whizzed it all together, producing a green smoothie Steve had assured him in the past would get by as food. That done (with the sickly liquid in a shake bottle waiting on the bench next to the dish with the aids), Danny moved upstairs, gathering the clothes Steve would never have left on the floor in times gone by from where they were scattered around his bedroom and bathroom. The pile of laundry was quickly thrown in the washing machine along with the ex-SEALs bedclothes and towels. His stale room was aired, the bathroom tidy. Danny set out a razor, toothbrush and comb on the sink. If his day went according to plan, the items would find themselves in use rather soon. He checked his watch. 10:36. Steve would be in any second. He jogged back downstairs. 

Sure enough, the minute his foot crossed the threshold into the kitchen, the sliding door opened to reveal a semi-dry SEAL. On first inspection, he looked no better than before. His scowl was fixed in place and he didn’t respond to the noise as Danny tripped over a chair. But Danny knew Steve better than most. The tension that had held his posture for the last days was gone. He was still paler than usual but there was a healthy flush in his cheeks and his eyes weren’t as clouded as they had been. Time for phase two. Clearing his throat loudly, Danny final gained Steve attention and handed him the aids. Ever meticulous, Danny watched as Steve moved the towel that was draped over his shoulders to his ears, carefully drying inside and out. Apparently satisfied, he then slipped the aids over his ears, flicking the miniscule switch to turn them on and grimacing for a second as he adjusted to the sudden clarity.  
“Breakfast’s there.” He nodded at the shake on the bench.  
Steve’s face darkened but this time, he didn’t argue. Another win. Dany picked up the paper from the bench; he’d left it there after the mailman had come that morning.  
“Read it in the sun, enjoy your shake. Then upstairs. Shower, shave and shit, you know the drill.”  
Once more Steve looked like he wanted to protest but once more he obeyed with a glare. Win number three.

When Steve came back downstairs, clean-shaven with his aids firmly in place, Danny directed him to the chairs outside.  
“Alright. Now you’re not in a completely shit mood it’s time we talked. I know this sucks. But you can’t let one thing that sucks make the rest of your life suck.”  
“Danny you don’t understand-”  
“What? I don’t understand something that sucks? I don’t understand that one thing can make your whole life shit? I’ll tell you something, I had it, Steve. the whole enchilada. My wife divorced me and moved interstate with another man and my daughter. It sucked. And I could have let it make my whole life suck. But instead, I made something of it. It became the best decision of my life to move with her. So no Steve, you’re right I don’t know what it’s like to be an ex-navy SEAL without all of his hearing but I do know what it’s like to be handed lemons and be expected to make lemonade without sugar or water.”  
For a second, Steve said nothing. Then he laughed. A full body, body shaking, starting-from-your toes kind of laugh. Danny at back, gaping.  
“The hell? Do you know how long that speech took to come up with? And you’re laughing?”  
Steve wiped his eyes and had Danny not been so glad to see his friend happy, he would have been more annoyed at the laughter which was clearly happening in insult.  
“Did you seriously just give me a ‘when life gives you lemons’ Danny?” Danny chuckled, then joined his friend in his laughter.  
“I think I did.”  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The following days did not make life go back to normal, but Steve found himself able to fall into a routine that had a semblance of what he was used to. His days once more began with a swim, and experience strange in itself. Steve swam with all his senses and without his aids he found himself unable to hear the water rushing around his ears, getting only the vaguest hint of waves every few minutes. He’d found the clarity he’d had with his hearing in the hospital was temporary as the fluid within his ears had once again settled, something the doctors had warned him about and he had dismissed in his denial. Without his aids, he could hear only flashes, loud sounds coming through like a barely tuned radio. At his appointment a week after his discharge to assess his hearing and collect his new aids, the doctors had retested his hearing and measured him a level lower than the day he’d gotten his hearing back. 

“Not uncommon.” They’d said. “But not likely to improve.” The loss hurt both more and less than he thought it would. More because he realised his career with the navy was over, less as he realised it had been since the phone-call with his father that ended with a gunshot. The new aids he’d gotten were state of the art; tiny, the size of the bud of one of 5-0’s earpieces and the quality of sound he got was better than he’d had in years, his hearing no doubt damaged by years of bombs and warzones. But he missed the sounds of the ocean as he swum. He hoped one day the lack of water rushing in his ears wouldn’t hurt. 

Danny had more or less moved into Steve’s house. The guest room had been his for years already and Mary’s room had been steadily becoming Grace’s as the duo spent more of their weekend’s at ‘Uncle Steve’s’. Steve hadn’t told his partner he was looking into options to sell the Jersey man’s apartment. The small flat had never been a home. Steve found comfort in having the other man in the house; he was Steve’s ears in the night when his aids sat charging at his bedside, he had breakfast ready after his swim. He made the house that had felt too big since Steve had come back from the Navy less lonely.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Two weeks after his discharge from the hospital, Steve was cleared for desk duty. His first day back, he walked in right on time to be greeted with friendly faces; not one person commented on the flesh coloured buds in his ears. He’d been sitting in his office for nearing an hour, attempting to sort through the paperwork that had accumulated in his absence (despite Chin and Danny’s best efforts), when there was a knock on his door.  
“Yeah,” he answered, distracted by the report of an increase in drug activity around the local elementary school. The door opened, and Steve looked up. Immediately the pen that had been grasped loosely in his hand fell to his desk and he stood to attention, a habit he knew he’d never shake in the face of authority.  
“Senator Bailey, I wasn’t expecting you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Head over to my profile on fanfiction.net under the same name to vote on my next multi chapter fic and one-shot!
> 
> Rose xx


	17. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone,  
> Still alive...sorry this has taken so long I just couldn't get something I was happy with. This is short but I think it's how I wanted it to end up.   
> As voted by people over on FF.net, my ext story is once again H50, check out my profile for the prologue. The summary is in the footnotes. There's also a surprise one-shot coming to the "Low" timestamps, it will be out tomorrow with the second chapter of my new multi chapter. Please read, review and enjoy!  
> Rose

Steve was shocked to see the man in front of him. Senator Bailey had once been a man with a commanding presence, immaculately dressed, with grey eyes that demanded to be met.   
“Mr McGarrett, it’s good to see you on your feet.” His voice was hoarse, tone matching drawn features.   
Steve eased himself up; though he’d been running and swimming and generally getting back to his own life, the move back to work was exhausting him, a reminder of just how close to the brink he’d come. “Thank you, sir. How have you been going?”  
The senator sighed, the sound of a man who’d lived years far past what he had. “It’s going.”  
Steve leant against his desk; “I wanted to apologise to you, Senator. I’d been meaning to come and see you. I’m sorry we took so long and that our incompetence cost your daughter’s life.” He forced himself to meet the steely eyes. For a second, the senator said nothing, Steve waited for the inevitable anger, braced for a fist. The unexpected happened. The senator smiled, a small smile that carried the weight of his daughter’s coffin.   
“Mr McGarrett, I came here to thank you.”  
“Wait, what?” Steve reached up to flick at his aids; he’d so far had no problems but there was no way he’d heard that right.   
“Mr McGarrett, you put your life on the line and saved two lives. Your team did incredible work. Just because my daughter was the one that-”, a breath, a pause. “-that died, that doesn’t take away from the children that are still here because of what you and your team did.”  
“Senator I-”  
“Thank you, Mr McGarrett.”  
Steve stepped forward, extending a hand in response to the offered one, shaking it firmly. The senator left, all Steve could do was stare. 

Steve slumped back into his chair, still staring at the spot the senator had just stood. The door once more opened but this time familiar face poked around the frame.   
“You coming for lunch, Brah?”   
Steve stood once more, taking a second for the head rush to past. “Yeah Chin, where’re we heading?”  
They began walking into the office, Kono and Danny joining up as they got the doors.   
“New sandwich and salad place opened up a street away, thought we’d hit it up.”   
“Sounds good.”  
They arrived and ordered, sitting and tucking in.   
“What did Bailey want before?” Danny sked through a mouthful of the meatball sub he’d ordered, sauce dripping down his chin unnoticed. “I couldn’t hear yelling. S’he a silent anger man?”  
Steve shook his head, still slightly shocked himself at the conversation that had taken place.   
“He wanted to say thank you.”   
“Thank you?” Kono’s voice held Steve’s earlier tone.   
“Yeah. Said we’d saved lives, put ours on the line and just because he was the unlucky one didn’t mean we hadn’t done a good thing for a lot of people.” He took a bite of the salad he’d ordered, some new-fangled concoction of pear, radish, carrots, peas and a lettuce he couldn’t identify. He was pleasantly surprised at the taste.   
“That’s… that’s pretty good of him.” Steve nodded, continued chewing. “Are you okay Steve?”  
Steve looked up at Danny. “Fine, why?”  
Kono laughed. “You’ve got your stoic bullshit ‘it’s all my fault face’, and you have been since he left your office.”  
“No I’m not!” The indignation came through his voice despite his attempt to quell it.   
Danny and Chin joined in the laughter. “Like it or not McGarrett, you do.”  
“That little girl died because I wasn’t on top pf my game. If I’d been on top of everything, we might have found the cure in time to save her.” His voice was quieter than normal, Lieutenant Commander Steven McGarrett hidden deep beneath the scared little boy who’d lost his mother so many years ago.  
“Steve.” Danny came close, held a hand on the taller man’ shoulder and waited until he lowered his head and their eyes met. “For once, a politician told the truth. You helped save lives. There are families together because of the risks you took and take every day.” He pulled his phone out, and opened a photo that had been taken in the hospital between the many specialist visits.   
Hani Hirono and Declan Jenkins, smiling and sitting next to Steve on his bed. The latter was looking exhausted, slumped against the risen bed-head. The two children held up a sign each.   
Our Hero.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Sunday came. Grace was with Danny for the weekend, and therefore with Steve. He’d swum and showered while the two William’s slumbered, slipped in his aids and prepared pancake batter for when their steps padded downstairs. For the time between, Steve settled himself in the sun, opening up the morning paper. The front page’s headline made a smile come to his face.   
“Senator Donates Late Daughter’s College and Trust Fund to Batten Hope Organisation.”  
Steve could hear the sound of movement upstairs, could hear the waves gently lapping at the shore. Steve could hear. The healing had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Fire and Ice: Steve's hurt but none of that matters because there is a storm coming to the snow covered mountain and a little girl who is relying on him.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? Hope you enjoyed it, next one will be out tomorrow.  
> (By the way, Mazie Hirono is the only real politician, the rest are products of my imagination)  
> See you soon,  
> Rose


End file.
